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Policy & Finance
Topic

School Finance

A period upended by the pandemic also saw an unprecedented increase in state revenues. Governor Gavin Newsom has seized the opportunity to propose sweeping changes to the California’s education system, from early education to closing the digital divide and providing more money for mental health to programs designed to get more students to college.

Teachers Unions
May 26, 2023

Teachers unions demand housing, transportation and other student supports during negotiations

Teachers unions across the country are negotiating for more than pay raises; they want 'common good' measures that benefit school employees, students and their families.

Diana Lambert
Teacher Shortage
May 18, 2023

Proposed state budget could make becoming a teacher easier

The governor's revised budget could put a dent in California's ongoing teacher shortage by removing obstacles to earning a credential and providing more funds to train teachers for hard-to-fill positions.

Diana Lambert And Zaidee Stavely
School Finance
May 15, 2023

Author of bill to tie school employees' raises to funding formula increases makes big concession

Assembly Education Committee Chair Al Muratsuchi agrees to drop language explicitly calling for raising school workers' wages by 50% over seven years.

John Fensterwald
School Finance
May 12, 2023

Gov. Newsom's May revisions protect education priorities, cut $4.3 billion in one-time funding

Gov. Gavin Newsom would pare back one-time funding by $4.3 billion for schools while preserving a promised 8.2% cost-of-living adjustment.

John Fensterwald
Pay and Tenure
May 3, 2023

Oakland teachers strike to raise some of the state's lowest salaries

As Oakland Unified School District's teachers strike, an analysis of salary data shows teachers among the lowest paid statewide and in the San Francisco/East Bay area.

Diana Lambert And Daniel J. Willis
School Finance
April 19, 2023

Key California legislator proposes raising teacher pay by 50% over 7 years, paid for by state funding

Assembly Education Chair Al Muratsuchi would target a 50% increase in the Local Control Funding Formula to fund the educators' pay raise, which still would have to be locally negotiated.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
April 13, 2023

How our schools can address California’s youth mental health crisis — now

California's new investments in the long-term mental health of our children are laudable, but students need help today.

Cora Palma
Commentary
April 6, 2023

As enrollments decline, state leaders should help districts mitigate school closure pressures

Falling enrollment combined with a slowing economy will force school districts to make difficult financial decisions. State and regional leaders must lean in to ensure that if school closures are on the table, districts mitigate their adverse impact.

Carrie Hahnel and Francis A. Pearman
California's Enrollment Rollercoaster
April 4, 2023

California's TK-12 enrollment fails to rebound in a return to 'normalcy'

Drop of less than 1% in enrollment is less severe than during Covid but consistent with the decline that started 20 years ago and is projected to continue for the rest of the decade.

John Fensterwald And Daniel J. Willis
Policy & Finance
April 4, 2023

Does California's landmark school funding formula need 10th year makeover?

Public Advocates and ACLU join Gov. Gavin Newsom in calling for major changes to the funding formula's mandate for equitable and effective spending through the LCAP.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
March 20, 2023

California has heavily invested in recruiting high-quality teachers; it can’t stop now

Now is the time to double down on the investments we’ve made since 2020 in shoring up our educator workforce and its pipeline.

Marvin Lopez
School Finance
March 16, 2023

West Contra Costa Unified school board rejects layoff proposal

The West Contra Costa Unified school board rejected proposals to reduce hours and cut dozens of school worker positions.

Ali Tadayon
School Finance
March 10, 2023

Layoffs for next year up for vote by West Contra Costa Unified school board

The district is proposing to lay off a yet-to-be-determined number of school workers next year, leaving union leaders confused.

Ali Tadayon
Commentary
March 8, 2023

The Legislature can — and should — pull the plug on ethnic studies

California’s ethnic studies graduation law can be suspended without further legislative action under the bill’s own terms, which state the requirement becomes operative “only upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature.”

Tammi Rossman-Benjamin 
School Finance
March 2, 2023

West Contra Costa Unified braces for more major budget cuts

West Contra Costa Unified will have to cut almost $20 million from its 2024-25 budget in order to remain fiscally solvent, according to a plan approved Wednesday.

Ali Tadayon