CALIFORNIA- RICHEST STATE HAS 5TH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD IS STIFFING PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS
California public school funding? More like California public school FUN-ding, am I right? But seriously folks, did you know that California has been stiffing public school students since 1990? That's almost as long as it's been since MC Hammer was relevant.
But what's driving this lack of funding? Is it a deep-rooted systemic issue? Nope, it's just good old-fashioned racism! As soon as California became a majority minority system, funding was slashed faster than a samurai sword through a watermelon.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "But wait, isn't California a super progressive state? Surely they wouldn't let something like racism dictate their funding decisions." Well, my dear reader, let me tell you something. Just because you wear Birkenstocks and recycle doesn't mean you're not capable of some serious discrimination.
So what can we do to catch up? Well, it's going to take years of hard work and dedication. Or, you know, we could just start a Kickstarter and hope Elon Musk takes pity on us. Hey, stranger things have happened.
In all seriousness though, it's time for California to step up and give our public school students the resources they deserve. Because if we don't, we're just perpetuating a cycle of inequality that will continue for generations to come. And that's not funny at all.
Public Policy Institute of California
The majority of funding for California K–12 schools is provided by the state.
- Since 1990, the state share of school funding typically has hovered between 54% and 61%, with the local share between 32% and 36%. These shares vary across school districts.
- The state share was lower in 2020–21 (51%) than at any point in at least 30 years.
- In 2020–21 and 2021–22, the state also invested over $5 billion in one-time COVID-19 recovery funds.
California’s per student spending is slightly above the national average . . .
- In 2018–19 (the most recent school year for which we have nationally comparable data from the US Department of Education), spending per student on current operations (e.g., staff, materials) was $14,913 (in 2021$), roughly $1,000 more than the average in the rest of the nation ($13,831 per student).
- California spent less than three of the five next most populous states: less than Illinois and Pennsylvania, and far less per student than the top-spending state in 2018–19, New York ($26,828). California spent more than Texas and Florida, which both spent nearly $10,000 per student in 2018–19.
. . . after per student spending lagged behind most other states for nearly two decades.
- While California currently ranks 19th in spending per student among states (including Washington, DC), its rank ranged between 25th and 35th from the mid-1980s until the recovery from the Great Recession.
- Adjusting for differences in labor costs across states, California’s rank drops to 35th.
- During recessions, California’s K–12 spending typically falls more than spending in other states—but rises more quickly during economic recoveries.
