Adult schools are facing the biggest threat to their existence since the first school was founded in California a century and a half ago. An EdSource survey in October-November 2011 found that 23 of the state's 30 largest school districts had made major cuts to their adult education programs, including Anaheim Union High School District, which…

California law severely limits local school districts' revenue-raising authority compared to most other states, which allow districts to raise local property taxes to support schools. School districts are primarily funded by revenues allocated by the state through complex formulas established decades ago. In California, school districts have…

California entered 2010-11 with a longstanding imbalance between ongoing spending and income. To help close that gap, state policymakers suspended Proposition 98, the minimum funding guarantee for K-12 schools and community colleges. In total, revenues for K-12 schools are down nearly 10% this year compared with 2007-08. Yet more cuts loom as the…

Statewide about one-third of the funds that K-12 schools receive in 2007-08 are from categorical programs designated to serve specific purposes. School agencies receive varying amounts depending on district characteristics, the programs they choose to operate, and the proportion of the state's 6.3 million students that they serve. These tables…

School districts' budgets don't have to confound the ordinary citizen. This two-page Q&A explains where the money comes from and the constraints on those deciding where it goes. It discusses the major budget pressures facing school districts, the role of collective bargaining, and how the public can influence local school budget decisions.

When people talk about school district efficiency, their first thoughts are about financial management. Are districts balancing their budgets, paying bills on time, and maximizing their revenues? This report takes a closer look at financial management in California school districts. The report is a summary of the 2006 research study, "School…

For the past year, the issue of public education funding has been particularly contentious in California. A pitched political battle between education advocates and the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger began with a December 2004 preview of the governor's budget proposal for 2005?06. The fight continued through a spring filled with…

When voters approved Proposition 98 as an amendment to the California Constitution, they sought to guarantee public schools and community colleges a level of funding that would at least keep pace with growth in student population and the personal income of Californians and at best increase the amount schools receive. The calculation of the…

Calls for changes in California's complex state-run school funding system, provided the backdrop for "Overhauling School Funding in California: The Push for Greater Adequacy, Equity, and Accountability," the EdSource 27th Annual Forum in March 2004. Participants discussed approaches for determining what would constitute adequate funding,…

In a state as large and complex as California, education financing can become as complicated as rocket science. This two-page Q&A provides a brief, easy-to-understand explanation of California's school finance system and introduces the issues of its adequacy and equity. A list of resources providing additional information is provided.