Budget Center Announces Official Program for Policy Insights Conference – California Budget and Policy Center

By Kyra Moeller

Today, the California Budget & Policy Center announced the official program for its annual conference, Policy Insights, which was announced late last year, and will take place Tuesday, April 16, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center.

“With the release of the program, featuring 11 dynamic workshops and plenary sessions, Policy Insights 2024 promises to be an enriching event for California’s public policy community,” said Chris Hoene, executive director at the California Budget & Policy Center. “We encourage all statewide advocates, legislative and government staff, nonprofit organizations, and foundations dedicated to improving public policy to join us as we delve into pressing issues and chart a course towards a more equitable California for all.”

Source: Budget Center Announces Official Program for Policy Insights Conference – California Budget and Policy Center

Board of Education reviews state’s proposed educational budget ahead of fiscal year – The Vacaville Reporter

By Lynzie Lowe

The Solano County Board of Education spent Valentine’s Day educating itself on the state’s recently released proposed 2024-25 budget plans.

Michelle Henson, Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services and Operations for the Solano County Office of Education, presented information to the board at Wednesday’s meeting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposals for the 2024-25 state budget, focusing her presentation on educational funding.

Source: Board of Education reviews state’s proposed educational budget ahead of fiscal year – The Vacaville Reporter

SPI Responds to Governor’s Proposed 2024–25 Budget – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed education budget for fiscal year 2024–25:

I am grateful to Governor Newsom that there are no major reductions or pullbacks in vital education programs. By preserving our Educator Workforce Investments, Community Schools Investments, and Learning Recovery Investments, we ensure that our students, families, and educators have what they need to improve literacy, math proficiency, and social–emotional wellness. We are pleased to see the Proposition 98 guarantee slightly up from its projected value but disappointed in the Average Daily Attendance decline, with COLA at 0.76 percent when it was projected to be at 3.5 percent.

Source: SPI Responds to Governor’s Proposed 2024–25 Budget – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)

SPI Thurmond on Education Budget-May Revise – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget for fiscal year 2023–24:

“Even in difficult budgetary times, we continue to be grateful that Governor Newsom’s May Revise retains many of the major investments that have been made to public education over the last few years. With a tightening State Budget, education spending will continue to reflect our core values to provide safe and effective learning environments, to help our students heal and recover, and to provide equitable opportunities for a quality education to all students. This budget continues our commitment to learning recovery and flexibility for local educational agencies to adapt to their particular conditions and unique needs.

“California will make critical investments in education, including a substantial 8.22 percent cost-of-living adjustment for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) to support our school districts in meeting the specific needs of their schools and community more effectively than with restrictive one-time funds.”

Source: SPI Thurmond on Education Budget-May Revise – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

Trustees to ask county for $5.7M bridge loan to cover Travis School District expenses – Daily Republic

Travis School District trustees are scheduled to consider a request Tuesday of the Solano County Board of Supervisors to authorize the county treasurer to transfer approximately $5.7 million in one or more loans to the school district.

The loans would cover what the staff report describes as one or more cash shortages caused by delays in payments from the state.

The amount is less than or equal to the 85% of fiscal year 2023-24 anticipated property tax revenues for the district, as estimated by the Solano County auditor, according to a staff report.

Source: Trustees to ask county for $5.7M bridge loan to cover Travis School District expenses

School funding proposal aims to achieve equity, but does it go far enough? – The Vacaville Reporter

By Joe Hong

Black students’ standardized test scores and graduation rates have long trailed those of their white and Asian peers. For decades, educators and legislators have tried to close that achievement gap, and a school funding proposal in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new budget illustrates just how difficult it is to do.

The idea for the proposed funding began as a bill authored last year by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, a Democrat from La Mesa, that would have provided more money for Black K-12 students. The bill made it through both the Assembly and Senate with unanimous support. While Newsom never vetoed the bill, he ultimately refused to sign it. Weber agreed to drop the bill when the governor promised to include the funding in his proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

Source: School funding proposal aims to achieve equity, but does it go far enough? – The Vacaville Reporter

Fairfield-Suisun board considers implications of governor’s budget – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-Suisun School District – along with public schools across the state – are feeling the pinch of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2023-24 budget, with the likely end of pandemic-driven one-time funding and no no relief provided as CalPERS retirement rates increase and CalSTRS retirement rates remain high.

The situation is such that schools will likely see most – if not all – spending for recent programs curtailed just to maintain baseline programs.

That was the gist of the message provided Tuesday to trustees of the Fairfield Suisun School District by Laneia Grindle, assistant superintendent of Business Services, who presented the governor’s budget plan and resulting budget year projections for the district.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun board considers implications of governor’s budget

Fairfield-Suisun trustees to hear reports on student performance, state budget – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees will hear several presentations Thursday, including updates on student performance and the state budget.

Sheila McCabe, assistant superintendent, Educational Services, will talk about the College/Career Indicator update. This is one of several state indicators that the California Department of Education reports on the California School Dashboard that serves as a statewide accountability measure, according to the staff report.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees to hear reports on student performance, state budget

SPI Reacts to Governor’s Proposed Education Budget – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed education budget for fiscal year 2023–24:

“The promise of education will only be fulfilled if we work together to invest in our students and our schools to build the future we want to see,” said Thurmond. “Building on last year’s record investment in education with a historic $22,893 in per-pupil funding, this year’s budget improves upon that by proposing the highest per-pupil spending for the state of California at $23,723. A record $17,519 of this total is Proposition 98 dollars, and the total is up more than $10,000 from 12 years ago.

“With this budget, California continues to improve our investments in education for our schools, our students, and our teachers.

Source: SPI Reacts to Governor’s Proposed Education Budget – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)

Gov. Newsom proposes cuts to climate change programs amid cloudy economic outlook – Daily Republic

By Los Angeles Times

Taryn Luna, Mackenzie Mays and Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times

Facing a projected $22.5 billion budget deficit in the upcoming fiscal year, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced plans to reduce investments in the state’s move to zero-emission vehicles, make cuts to other climate change programs and delay funding for 20,000 new child-care slots as California transitions from a time of economic surplus to shortage.

The governor’s administration blamed high inflation, the Federal Reserve raising interest rates and volatility in the stock market as the major forces causing state revenues to drop well below projections from last summer when he anticipated an $100 billion surplus in the current budget year.

Source: Gov. Newsom proposes cuts to climate change programs amid cloudy economic outlook

SPI Champions Budget Package as a Key Win for CA – Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education)

Yesterday’s signing of the 2022–23 state budget package marks another historic year of funding levels for education programs in California. Not only does this budget increase the base funding of the Local Control Funding Formula by approximately $9 billion, a 13 percent increase, it also directs key investments to areas specifically identified by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education (CDE), addressing declining enrollment and funding for mental health services, community schools, literacy programs, universal school meals, and programs focused on improving all student outcomes in the wake of the pandemic.

Thurmond issued the following statement in response to the signed budget for the fiscal year 2022–23:

“I am grateful to the Legislature and the Governor for a budget that prioritizes recruiting mental health care providers to serve in our schools, addressing learning gaps, and investing in people and programs to serve all students, especially those most vulnerable. As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, California public schools will see a much-needed infusion of investments at a time when students and schools, especially those that have been traditionally underserved, require more support than ever before.

Source: SPI Champions Budget Package as a Key Win for CA – Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education)

Fairfield-Suisun schools to get more state money than expected – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-School District will receive more than $1.3 million in funding from the “A-G” Completion Improvement Grant program, according to a staff report. The total includes about $12,500 that’s been added in recent days.

Trustees on Thursday will review and potentially approve the plan for the “A-G” grant program.

The money derives from Assembly Bill 130, which became law in July. One portion of the bill contains the “A-G” grant program, which is designed to help increase the number of high school students, particularly those students of families that meet income or categorical eligibility requirements for free or reduced-priced meals under the National School Lunch Program, English learners and foster youth to graduate from high school with “A-G” eligibility.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun schools to get more state money than expected

Fairfield-Suisun board reviews financial outlook that includes spending cuts – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Fairfield-Suisun School District this week got a look into the future of its finances.

The quick view: A shortfall in revenue will mean changes in spending.

Amanda Rish, director of Fiscal Services, on Thursday presented the second interim report and certification of the district’s ability to meet its financial obligations for the coming year.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun board reviews financial outlook that includes spending cuts

Fairfield school board looks at projected shortfall of $35.7M – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

An early view of the Fairfield-Suisun School District’s financial picture shows a shortfall in the general fund of tens of millions of dollars and the need to reduce costs in coming years.

The School Board will vote Thursday on the second interim report and certification of the district’s ability to meet its financial obligations for the coming year.

The financial review has several parts: district certification of the interim report; a general fund statement of revenues, expenditures and changes in fund balance that are either unrestricted resources or restricted resources; a combined summary that includes average daily attendance, criteria and standards, a cash flow statement, a multiple-year projection and assumptions along with the combined resources summary for unrestricted resources or restricted resources.

Source: Fairfield school board looks at projected shortfall of $35.7M

Travis School Board to vote on employee deal with $400,000-plus annual price tag – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Travis School Board members will consider approval Tuesday of a tentative agreement between the Travis School District and the California School Employees Association for 2021-22 and 2022-23 that will cost the district more than $400,000 a year.

The agreement includes updated salary schedules.

The tentative agreement addresses multiple sections of the collective bargaining agreement, including evaluations, state disability insurance, vacation, salary and benefits for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, professional growth, calendars and the addition of Juneteenth as a holiday.

Source: Travis School Board to vote on employee deal with $400,000-plus annual price tag

Fairfield-Suisun schools eye initial state budget plan – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-Suisun School District looks to receive nearly $5 million more in baseline state funding next year than it expects this school year based on the governor’s proposed state budget – but also faces more than $5.5 million in extra pension costs, according to a preliminary budget review.

Laneia Grindle, assistant superintendent of Business Services, presented the school board Thursday with an update on the governor’s budget proposal and how it – at least preliminarily – meshes with local plans that include staff raises totaling more than $4.5 million for the coming school year and roughly $1 million in each of the next two years.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun schools eye initial state budget plan

Fairfield-Suisun board to look at governor’s proposed budget impact – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-Suisun school board will take a look Thursday at the impact on the school district of the governor’s proposed budget – with a first pass that shows an additional $4.9 million in available state funding.

Laneia Grindle, assistant superintendent of Business Services, will make a presentation about the changes proposed for the 2022-23 school year.

Current school district funding based on average daily attendance is $10,193 per student or $207.4 million, according to a staff report. The estimated funding per ADA for the 2022-23 school year is $10,763 – or $212.3 million.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun board to look at governor’s proposed budget impact

Vacaville school board hears overview of governor’s proposed budget – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The school board heard an overview this week of the governor’s proposed budget as it looks at the possibility of a cut to state funding due to a drop in attendance.

Kelly Burks, assistant superintendent of Business and Administrative Services, covered highlights of the state budget plan and how it affects the Vacaville School District.

The Department of Finance two years ago projected the 2022-23 state budget at $130 billion. The newest proposal is a budget of $200 billion. But the windfall in state revenue will not necessarily translate into a windfall at the local level.

Source: Vacaville school board hears overview of governor’s proposed budget

Vacaville school board to hear details of governor’s proposed budget – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The school board will hear an overview Thursday of the governor’s proposed budget as it weighs the possibility of a cut to state funding due to a drop in attendance.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Administrative Services Kelly Burks will talk about some of the highlights of the state budget plan and how it may affect the Vacaville School District.

The Department of Finance 18 months ago projected the 2022-23 budget at $130 billion. The newest proposal is a budget at $200 billion. But the windfall in state revenue will not necessarily translate into a windfall at the local level.

Source: Vacaville school board to hear details of governor’s proposed budget

SCOE Board gets OK on recent audit, starts preparing for new budget – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

The Solano County Board of Education met virtually Wednesday for the first time in 2022 and among its items was the release of its recent 2020-21 audit and the announcement that work on the new school budget will begin soon.

The 2020-21 audit report was prepared by Eide Bailly, the accounting and consulting firm contracted by the Solano County Office of Education to audit the end-of-year financial statements.

The report showed that no mistakes had been made and no adjustments were necessary in meeting state and local requirements. The audit is available for public view in the agenda packet from the Jan. 12 meeting on the Solano County Board of Education website, solanocoe.net.

Source: Board of Education gets OK on recent audit, starts preparing for new budget