The Governor’s January Budget has been released and the news is not all bad. There is a revenue shortfall of $29.5 billion forecasted for the 2022 Budget Act which translates into a budget gap of $22.5 billion for FY 2023-24. In addition, the Prop 98 funding level is down about $1.5 billion from the 2022 Budget Act, but total K-12 funding proposed for 2023-24 is up slightly over 2022-23 and includes a proposed 8.13% COLA. The Governor’s budget narrative, again, does not specifically mention CAEP funding, but does indicate that categorically funded programs (within which he usually and incorrectly includes CAEP) outside the LCFF will also receive the same COLA.
In terms of “other” County Office funding, the budget proposal includes the same COLA for Adults in Correctional Facilities as well as for Prop 98 funding due to the County.
For the Community Colleges, the budget proposes additional one-time funding to help combat the ongoing statewide enrollment decline due to the pandemic. The Governor also proposes 8.13% COLA for CCC Apportionment and CCC Categorical Programs.
Granted that this is the starting point, and economic changes good or bad could still occur, but the news could have been much worse. Professional Organizations will soon provide analysis and critique. As they say, “stay tuned”.