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California Budget Proposes Major K-12 Education Governance Reforms

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This year’s state budget proposes significant reforms to California’s K-12 education governance structure. The plan aims to implement recommendations from the Legislature’s 2002 report, "California’s Master Plan for Education." The central element of the proposal involves shifting the oversight of the California Department of Education (CDE) and the ultimate responsibility for state oversight and support of local educational agencies (LEAs) to the State Board of Education.

The Legislature’s 2002 report described California’s K-12 education system as being governed by fragmented entities with overlapping roles, which sometimes resulted in operational conflicts. This concern has been documented since 1920 and was reiterated in a December 2025 report by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), which concluded that reforms, overdue for a century, could no longer be postponed.

The Governor’s budget further proposes to enhance the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s capacity to foster coordination and alignment of state education policies across early childhood and postsecondary education.

These proposed changes are intended to be enacted through statute. The stated goal is to strengthen the governance of California’s education system, providing coherence and accountability to address the needs of students, parents, teachers, school staff, and administrators.

Stakeholder Comments

Several education leaders and advocates have commented on the Governor’s proposal:

  • Dr. Edgar Zazueta, Association of California School Administrators (ACSA): Noted that the existing governance system creates challenges for school leaders and that improved systems could better support student outcomes. ACSA stated the proposal initiates an important discussion on governance and accountability.
  • Todd Finnell, Imperial County Superintendent of Schools and President, CA County Superintendents: Stated the proposal to strengthen coordination and alignment across the public education system is long overdue and represents an essential step toward clearer accountability.
  • Sara Pietrowski, California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO): Indicated that CASBO supports evidence-based, student-centered policies and views the proposal as a first step toward addressing structural challenges and improving coherence.
  • Ted Lempert, Children Now: Stated that the fragmented structure of the education system has hindered student success and that major reform is essential.
  • Christopher J. Nellum, Ph.D., EdTrust-West: Stated that California’s fractured education governance system has contributed to inequities impacting low-income students, students of color, and multilingual learners.
  • Martha Hernandez, Californians Together: Stated the current education system lacks the shared vision and coherence needed to achieve results for communities.
  • Pedro Noguera, USC Rossier School of Education: Stated that strengthening education system governance contributes to student success and aligns with PACE recommendations.
  • Yolie Flores, Families In Schools: Stated that the current system has limited school-family partnerships and created barriers to equitable student success.
  • Jeannie Myung, PACE: Stated that research indicates governance structures affect policy implementation and that the proposal acknowledges the need to strengthen statewide capacity for implementation.

Prior Education Investments by the State

California has maintained its focus on TK-12 public education, with emphasis on accelerating learning and equity. The 2025 Budget Act provided $137.6 billion in total TK-12 education funding, which represents a high per-pupil state funding level for California students.

Other investments include:

  • Community Schools: $4.1 billion one-time Proposition 98 General Fund allocated, supporting approximately 2,500 schools in adopting the community schools model. This model integrates family engagement, student attendance, and well-being with learning recovery and acceleration.
  • Transitional Kindergarten: Billions invested to expand access, supporting a significant number of four-year-old children with the aim of improving Kindergarten readiness and long-term student outcomes.
  • Literacy Programs: The most recent state budget allocated an additional $215 million to the Literacy Coaches and Reading Specialists Grant Program, which supports school literacy programs and interventions.
  • School Meals: California was the first state to provide two free meals daily for all public TK-12 students.
  • Literacy Legislation: AB 1454, signed last year, aims to increase access to tools, training, and resources for educators to improve student literacy rates.
  • Reading Screenings: 2026 marks the first year California students in grades K-2 are being screened for reading challenges to assess potential support needs.
  • Before/After/Summer School: Key investments made into these programs, which include high-impact tutoring and enrichment opportunities for TK-6 students. This also supports working families with consistent care and resources.