California will provide an additional $2.8 billion in revenue to public education in the upcoming school year under a preliminary budget released by new Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The money will help the state fully finance the Local Control Funding Formula, which gives districts more flexibility to provide additional support and intervention to schools with high rates of disadvantaged students.
The annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges is determined by the Proposition 98 formula, a constitutional initiative approved by voters in 1988 that guarantees K-12 schools and community colleges a minimum level of funding from state and local property taxes.
The governor is projecting a combined $80.7 billion in funding for the 2019-20 school year for K-12 schools and community colleges. For the current 2018-19 school year, $77.9 billion has been provide for K-14 education.
Newsom, who was sworn into office earlier this week, credited the added revenue to California’s ongoing economic growth. However, this preliminary budget was created before the federal government shutdown, so final state totals could change depending on the federal budget’s outcome. State lawmakers will have a chance to debate Newsom’s budget proposal before they vote on a final version this summer.