Staff
Sara Cortez
(916) 319-8348
Special Education, Preschool, Child Nutrition, and Facilities
Kenneth Kapphahn
(916) 319-8339
Proposition 98, School District Budgets, School Transportation
Lisa Qing
(916) 319-8306
California Community Colleges
Michael Alferes
(916) 319-8338
Local Control Funding Formula, Charter Schools, Alternative Schools, High School Career Technical Education
Natalie Gonzalez
(916) 319-8320
California State University, Student Financial Aid
Dylan Hawksworth-Lutzow
(916) 319-8308
Child Care, Expanded Learning, Teachers, and Education Technology
Edgar Cabral
(916) 319-8343
Deputy Legislative Analyst: K-12 Education
Jennifer Pacella
(916) 319-8332
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Higher Education


Publications

Education

To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.



Handout

Overview of Proposition 98 Budget Proposals

March 8, 2018 - Presented to Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education Finance


Handout

Overview of Special Education Funding in California

February 28, 2018 - Presented to Senate Committee on Education;Assembly Committee on Education;Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education; and Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance


Post

History of Special Education Funding in California

February 27, 2018 - This post traces the history of state special education funding in California to better inform conversations about how this funding might be allocated going forward.


Handout

Overview of Proposition 98 Budget Proposals

February 21, 2018 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance


Handout

Overview of High School Career Technical Education

February 21, 2018 - Presented to Assembly Committee on Education; Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance; Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy; and Assembly Select Committee on Career Technical Education and Building a 21st Century Workforce


Handout

Overview of State Governance: K-12 Education

February 14, 2018 - Presented to Senate Committee on Education and Assembly Committee on Education


Report

The 2018-19 Budget: Proposition 98 Education Analysis

February 7, 2018 - In this report, we analyze the Governor’s overall Proposition 98 budget package as well as his specific spending proposals for K‑12 education and early education.


Post

K-12 Education in Context

January 26, 2018 - In this post, we answer many questions legislators and others commonly ask about K-12 education in California. We begin by providing information on the main components of California’s public school system. We then review the state’s K-12 accountability system. Lastly, we explain the basics of school finance in California.


Post

The 2018-19 Budget: Overview of the Governor’s Proposition 98 Budget Package

January 18, 2018 - The Governor presented his budget package to the Legislature on January 10, 2018. This web post provides an overview and assessment of the largest component of that package—the Proposition 98 budget.


Report

Evaluating California’s System for Serving Infants and Toddlers With Special Needs

January 4, 2018 - In 2015‑16, California provided early intervention services to about 41,000 infants and toddlers with special needs. These infants and toddlers either have a disability (such as a visual or hearing impairment) or a significant developmental delay (such as not beginning to speak or walk when expected). California’s early intervention system consists of three programs administered by two types of local agencies—schools and regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities. This report provides the first comprehensive analysis of this system since it was established in 1993. The report has three main sections. We first provide background on California’s early intervention system, then assess this system, and conclude by recommending several ways to improve the system.


Report

The 2018-19 Budget: Proposition 98 Outlook

November 15, 2017 - Proposition 98 (1988) establishes a minimum annual funding requirement for schools and community colleges. In this report, we (1) explain how our estimates of the minimum requirement have changed since the adoption of the June budget plan, (2) identify the new funding available in 2018-19, and (3) highlight a few key trends affecting schools and community colleges over the next four years.

This is part of a collection of material for The 2018-19 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook. See a complete list of this year's fiscal outlook material on our fiscal outlook budget page.


Handout

Charter School Authorization in California

October 23, 2017 - Presented to: Senate Education Committee


Handout

Overview of High School Career Technical Education

October 2, 2017 - Presented to Assembly Committee on Education; Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance; Assembly Select Committee on Career Technical Education and Building a 21st Century Workforce; and Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy


Post

Update on School District Retiree Health Benefits

September 25, 2017 - School districts face growing cost pressure related to the health benefits they provide for their retired employees. The first section of this post explains how districts structure their retiree health benefits, and the second section analyzes historical spending levels and future liabilities. We find that the unfunded liability—the total future cost of providing the retiree health benefits that employees have already earned, after subtracting the funds already set aside to cover those benefits—is about $24 billion across all districts. Some districts have taken steps to reduce their future costs, such as requiring employees to work longer before qualifying for these benefits. A few districts also are beginning to set aside additional funds now to cover future retiree health benefits, a practice that could yield significant long-term savings.


Handout

Teacher Workforce Proposals

June 2, 2017 - Presented to Budget Conference Committee