State Budget Cuts
As legislators ponder the $25 billion budget gap, K-12 and higher ed funding will be on the table
Even as the economy claws its way out of the trenches, California’s public schools are bracing for another hit this year.
The state’s K-12 public schools and community colleges will receive $2 billion less this school year, state budget analysts say. And the state's public universities may not be immune from cuts either. The California State University and University of California systems received an additional $600 million this year, but analysts warn that could be yanked when state legislators convene a special budget session in December.
The Legislature intends to strategize over closing the state’s $25.4 billion shortfall, including looking at school funding. That may require slicing this year’s budget, approved over a month ago.
“It is conceivable that universities will see that added revenue evaporate,” said Michael Cohen, a deputy legislative analyst at the state Legislative Analysts’ Office. “The question is, with a $25 billion