State Deep Dive: California
California is the largest PreK/TK-12 market in the country, and it is in the middle of a significant structural and financial moment that will reshape how districts buy and what they prioritize. Public school enrollment declined by nearly 75,000 students this year, the largest drop since 2021-22, driven by falling birth rates and immigration losses and because California funds schools based on average daily attendance, that translates directly into budget deficits, staff layoffs, program cuts, and in some cases school closures. At the same time, Governor Newsom's May Revision proposes major new investments, including $5 billion in flexible block grants, $2.4 billion for SpEd, representing the largest investment in the state's history, and $500 million for literacy coaches and reading specialists. The state's governance structure is also being actively renegotiated, with legislation advancing through the Assembly that would shift control of the Dept of Ed from the elected State Superintendent to a new governor-appointed Education Commissioner. Join expert Karen Stevens as she breaks down what these funding priorities, governance changes, and enrollment shifts mean for opportunity in CA!