State Budget Briefs

Overview

State Budget Briefs

The CFT Research Department analyzes the state budget and the impact it will have on education, from early childhood to university. CFT is an active participant in the state budget process because public school and community college districts receive two-thirds of their funding from the state, and decisions made by state legislators set the stage for those made by district governing boards.

The Research Briefs span the timeline of budget process, from the governor’s January proposals to the adopted and signed budget.

Article

CFT analyzes adopted budget — public education spared from deepest cuts
Research Brief

Governor Newsom signed the 2020-21 state budget on June 29, 2020. The $202 billion budget includes $133.9 billion in general fund expenditures, down from $146.9 billion last year. There are $14 billion in cuts and deferrals that will be “triggered off” if California receives additional funding from the federal government by October 15. The budget uses $7.8 billion from the state’s Rainy Day fund, approximately half of the balance of that reserve fund.

Public education was spared from the deepest cuts, which the governor proposed in the May Revision, and the budget includes critical protections against layoffs for many school employees. This budget remains vulnerable to further changes, in late July or early August. With this year’s tax filing deadline extended to July 15, we anticipate adjustments to the 2020-21 budget.

Article

Department of Finance releases deficit projections due to COVID-19 pandemic​
Research Brief

The California Department of Finance offered the first comprehensive preview of the state’s economic indicators and finances since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers are stark and are meant to foreshadow a painful “May Revision” budget proposal that Gov. Newsom will release next week The magnitude of the recession is just beginning to become clear.

Article

CFT analyzes governor’s proposed education budget
Research Brief

The governor continues to be fiscally conservative as he prepares for an economic slowdown, and proposes depositing $2 billion into the state’s rainy day fund. However, he also allocates additional monies for education, including his priorities of early childhood education, special education, educator recruitment, as well as student health and wellness. The General Fund budget of $157 billion is a 2.23 percent increase over 2019-20.