Education

Overview of Major Impacts of H.R. 1 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act

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August 20, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 7 on Accountability and Oversight

Trends in Higher Education

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April 30, 2025 - From January 2024 through April 2025, we released six analytical reports focused on higher education trends. The reports cover trends in student access, college affordability, student outcomes, finance, faculty and staff, and facilities. The series has two main objectives. The first is to help legislators, staff, and the general public track many of the key changes that higher education has undergone over the past few decades. The second is to help legislators better navigate the future. To this end, each brief is punctuated by key issues for legislators to consider as they move forward in making higher education policy and budget decisions.

Trends in Higher Education: Facilities

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April 30, 2025 - This is the final brief of a six-part series covering higher education trends in California. This brief focuses on higher education facilities. The brief includes key issues for the Legislature to consider as it makes related policy and budget decisions.

The 2025-26 Budget: Scholarshare Investment Board

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April 30, 2025 - In this post, we analyze the Governor’s budget proposal to provide the Scholarshare Investment Board with three additional employee positions to support the California Kids Investment and Development Savings program.

The 2025-26 Budget: Community College Facilities

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March 18, 2025 - This post assesses the Governor’s proposals to fund community college capital outlay projects under Proposition 2, the new education facilities bond.

The 2025-26 Budget: College of the Law, San Francisco

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March 10, 2025 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s budget proposals for College of the Law, San Francisco (CLSF). In 2025‑26, CLSF would receive $101 million in total core funding, reflecting a $15 million (17 percent) increase from 2024‑25. Both of CLSF’s main sources of core funding would increase, with tuition revenue projected to increase $4.3 million (7.8 percent) and state General Fund proposed to increase $11 million (40 percent).

The 2025-26 Budget: California State Library

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March 7, 2025 - In this post, we provide background on the State Library and analyze the Governor's budget proposals.

The 2025-26 Budget: California Community Colleges

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March 5, 2025 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s budget proposals for the California Community Colleges. It covers apportionments, enrollment growth, and various other ongoing and one-time proposals.

The 2025-26 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

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February 28, 2025 - In this brief, we provide an update on Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship cost estimates, as well as analyze the Governor’s budget proposals for California College of the Arts and California Student Aid Commission’s state operations.

The 2025-26 Budget: University of California

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February 27, 2025 - In this brief, we analyze the state’s budget plan relating to UC’s core operations and enrollment.

The 2025-26 Budget: Higher Education Overview

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February 6, 2025 - In this brief, we provide an overview and initial analysis of the Governor’s higher education budget plan.

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

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January 13, 2025 - Update (1/16/25): A set of tables detailing various solutions and proposals has been appended to the online version of this report. They are available using the HTML link above.

On January 10, 2025, Governor Newsom’s administration presented its proposed state budget to the California Legislature. In this report, we provide a brief summary of the Governor’s budget based on our initial review as of January 12. In the coming weeks, we will analyze the plan in more detail and release many additional issue-specific budget analyses. For those additional analyses, please see our budget page.

Trends in Higher Education: Faculty and Staff

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December 4, 2024 - This brief is the fifth of a six-part series covering higher education trends in California. This brief focuses on the higher education workforce and how it has changed over time. The brief tracks changes in the number of faculty and staff, their demographic composition, compensation, recruitment, and retention. The brief also raises key issues for the Legislature to consider as it makes related policy and budget decisions.

CalFacts 2024

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December 2, 2024 - CalFacts presents a wide range of facts and trends about the state's economy, finances, and programs.

The 2025‑26 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

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November 20, 2024 - In this report, we provide our estimates of the guarantee and analyze the implications for school and community college budgeting.