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In passing the Local Control Funding Formula in 2013, the Legislature shifted decision-making back to local districts and steered more money to districts with higher proportions of low-income children and English learners. Proposition 98, adopted in 1988, sets the overall yearly level of K-12 and community college spending through a complex formula tied to the growth in the state economy.

August 20, 2018

Fewer Californians than residents nationwide favor raising teacher pay

Strikes in low-paying states opened the public's eyes. In California, where teachers are among nation's highest paid – cost of living aside – Education Next's 2018 poll found more support for raising overall funding than teacher pay.

John Fensterwald
August 16, 2018

One California charter school's struggle for approval and a building close to its parents

Promise Academy disagreements with San Jose Unified mirror tensions escalating statewide over charter schools.

John Fensterwald
August 9, 2018

Oakland Unified may eliminate nearly 340 positions in one year to stay fiscally solvent

District adopts revised three-year budget after Alameda County Office of Education rejected budget adopted in June.

Theresa Harrington
July 5, 2018

Higher pay, smaller classes, housing perks in San Francisco Bay Area district’s plan to attract teachers

West Contra Costa Unified has also launched a recruiting website and added new teacher training to attract and retain educators.

Theresa Harrington
June 27, 2018

Oakland Unified needs to close schools and reform fiscal practices to stay solvent, county civil grand jury concludes

Panel issues nine recommendations aimed at improving budget oversight and reducing number of schools.

Theresa Harrington
June 24, 2018

Teachers in Oakland among others pushing for pay raises from California districts in fiscal crisis

Inspired by successful strikes in other states, teachers from Southern California to the Bay Area are threatening fall strikes.

Theresa Harrington
June 20, 2018

California budget deal includes extra funding for students with lowest test scores

Persistence pays off for Assemblywoman Shirley Weber with a compromise resulting in $300 million in one-time spending.

John Fensterwald
June 14, 2018

California lawmakers approve 2018-19 state budget: how schools, colleges will fare

There's enough new money to "fully fund" the Local Control Funding Formula and stave off UC and CSU tuition increases.

John Fensterwald, Yuxuan Xie, Mikhail Zinshteyn, and Justin Allen
June 13, 2018

Oakland Unified chided for 'highly unusual' and 'suspicious' fiscal practices

A fiscal analysis by an independent agency says the district is in “financial distress.”

Theresa Harrington
June 7, 2018

Oakland and Inglewood among four financially distressed California districts seeking state relief

Districts are hoping the upcoming state budget will include financial relief such as deferred state loans, flat per-student payments, and flexibility to sell or lease surplus property.

Theresa Harrington
June 6, 2018

Marshall Tuck and Tony Thurmond to square off in runoff for California schools chief

Both say charter schools shouldn't be the focus of the campaign but big independent donors may think otherwise.

John Fensterwald
June 5, 2018

LA Unified not directing enough money to help low-income students, report charges

The rising costs of health care and pensions stand in the way of meeting the promise of the funding formula, says the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.

John Fensterwald
May 21, 2018

Push underway to increase California school funding by billions

Assembly Bill 2808 sets a goal of $35 billion more in base spending for the Local Control Funding Formula; that would put California among the top 10 states in spending but without a deadline or means to reach it.

John Fensterwald
May 11, 2018

California K-12 schools get slightly more in Gov. Brown's revised state budget

A recession is coming, so don't get 'giddy' over the prospect of adding or expanding programs, governor warns.

John Fensterwald
May 10, 2018

On California campaign trail, a push to strip school funding for undocumented students

Travis Allen's desire to cut funding for educating undocumented students is a reprise of the anti-immigrant fervor of the Proposition 187 era.

Louis Freedberg