Education finance: education omnibus trailer bill.
What changed between versions
Appropriates $757,300,000 from the General Fund for the 2026-27 fiscal year to the Learning Recovery Emergency Fund for allocation to local educational agencies operating in 2026-27.
Appropriates $200,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2026-27 fiscal year for the California Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant Program, transferring administration from the Superintendent to the State Department of Education.
Appropriates $408,000,000 from the General Fund for the 2026-27 fiscal year for the Student Teacher Stipend Program, increasing the annual base stipend pool from $100,000,000 to $125,000,000 and adding $27,500,000 annually for high-need field stipends starting July 1, 2027.
Appropriates $250,000,000 from the General Fund to augment the Teacher Residency Grant Program and requires capacity and sustainability grants of $100,000 to $300,000 per recipient.
Appropriates $50,000,000 from the General Fund for the Mathematics Professional Learning Partnership through the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, augmenting an existing $30,000,000 appropriation.
Requires the Legislature to initially appropriate $1,000,000,000 from the General Fund for the California Community Schools Partnership Program, with cost-of-living adjustments commencing 2027-28. Administration transfers from the Superintendent to the State Department of Education.
Appropriates $100,000,000 from the General Fund for a revised competitive dual enrollment grant program, making regional occupational centers eligible and adding an alternative grant of up to $100,000 for expanding existing programs.
Appropriates $10,000,000 from the General Fund for a new Pathways to Bilingual Teaching Program administered by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, awarding competitive grants of up to $600,000 to consortia.
Appropriates $50,000,000 for the 2026-27 fiscal year for the California Universal Preschool Planning Grant Program for renewal or new grants.
Transfers $500,000,000 from the General Fund to the Public School System Stabilization Account for 2025-26, and requires 33% of any increased General Fund tax proceeds (for 2025-26 through 2027-28 combined versus the 2026-27 Budget Act forecast) to be deposited to the account for unfunded Proposition 98 obligations.
Increases the Los Angeles County Office of Education antibias education add-on from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 starting 2026-27, for allocation to the Museum of Tolerance.
Appropriates $890,000 annually starting 2026-27 for the Los Angeles County Office of Education to maintain a statewide repository of curriculum-embedded performance tasks mapped to Next Generation Science standards.
Replaces the existing differentiated assistance add-ons to county office of education allocations (based on number and size of districts in need) with a universal and targeted assistance county office of education funding grant starting 2026-27, calculated as $500,000 plus inflation adjustments, an average daily attendance component, and a stability grant.
Exempts Plumas Unified School District from the administrative employee ratio penalty reduction in state support for fiscal years 2023-24 through 2026-27.
Changes the Superintendent's authority to take actions when a county office of education receives a negative financial certification from authorized to required (mandatory), and requires notice to the governing board before reclassifying a certification.
Authorizes the State Allocation Board to withhold new approvals for applicants in default or projected to default under its facility programs, with a provision that withholding does not make the board liable for damages caused by the applicant.
Extends audit requirements, including posting on websites and filing deadlines, to educational joint powers authorities and charter schools. Changes the county superintendent's authority to investigate delayed audits from authorized to required.
Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to levy a fee not to exceed $125 (up from $100) for renewal of teaching and service credentials commencing July 1, 2026, while retaining the $100 cap for issuance.
Delays recognition of Proposition 98 excess moneys (from 2022-23 allocations) by one fiscal year, shifting the annual recognition period from 2027-28 through 2038-39 to 2028-29 through 2039-40, and the final share from 2039-40 to 2040-41.
Extends the Teacher Residency Grant Program commitment completion period from 5 school years to 8 school years for candidates to fulfill their 4-year teaching requirement, and authorizes hardship-based waiver of repayment obligations.
Repeals the requirement that subject matter examinations are a prerequisite for assignment and instead requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to support candidates in establishing competence through degree major or coursework, with exams available only when those methods do not establish competence.
Authorizes regional occupational centers or programs to establish middle college high schools or enter into College and Career Access Pathways partnerships, expanding beyond school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools.