Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1515721
"California is the fifth largest economy in the world, and our students deserve nothing less than an education system that reflects that economic strength." —CTA President David Goldberg Prop. 98 funding for the LCFF. To maintain the LCFF 's cur- rent level of funding, the budget proposes utilizing state-level reserves and funds reappropriated or reverted to the state. Educator Workforce: The budget includes the following proposals: • Provides $25 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding to support training for educators to administer literacy screenings. The 2023 Budget required LEAs to begin screening K-2 students for risk of reading difficulties by the 2025–26 school year. • Provides $20 million one-time Prop. 98 for a county office of education to work with the UC Subject Matter Projects and other providers to develop and provide training aligned with the new mathematics framework. • Proposes statutory changes to better enable school staff to be equipped with tools needed to recognize and offer appropriate mental health supports to students in a way that is aligned with other state investments in this area. • Intends to explore teacher apprenticeship programs with cross-agency partners and the Legislature. • Directs the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to create a new Elementary Arts and Music Education authorization for career technical education (CTE) teach- ers. This will allow for experienced artists to provide arts instruction in elementary schools in addition to providing CTE instruction in grades 7–12. • Proposes to allow for the completion of a bachelor 's degree to satisfy the basic skills requirement for a cre- dential and improve transcript review to certify subject matter competency. Instructional Continuity: The budget proposes statutory changes to allow for local educational agencies to provide attendance recovery opportunities to students to make up lost instructional time. School Facilities: The budget proposes to reduce the planned investment in the School Facilities Program in 2024–25 from $875 million to $375 million one-time General Fund. The Administration expects to begin negotiations with the Legislature this spring on an education facilities bond to be considered in the November 2024 election. The budget also proposes to delay the $550 million planned investment in the California Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten and Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Pro- gram from 2024–25 to 2025–26. State Preschool Program: The budget includes $53.7 million General Fund to support reimbursement rate increases for the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), previously supported by available one-time federal stimulus funding. These resources are in addition to approximately $140.6 million General Fund and $206.3 million Prop. 98 funding identified in the 2023 Budget Act to support the recently ratified collective bargaining agreement with child- care providers. California Community Colleges • Apportionments: The budget includes an increase of $69.1 million in ongoing Prop. 98 funding for a 0.76% COLA for Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) apportionments and $29.6 million ongoing Prop. 98 funding for 0.5% enroll- ment growth. • CCC Categorical Program COLA: The budget includes an increase of $9.3 million ongoing Prop. 98 to provide a 0.76% COLA for select categorical programs and the Adult Education Program. • Prop. 98 Reserve Withdrawals: The budget proposes withdrawals of $235.9 million in 2023–24 and $486.2 billion in 2024–25 to support ongoing SCFF costs. • Nursing Program: The budget proposes an increase of $60 million one-time Prop. 98 funding to expand nursing programs and Bachelor of Science in Nursing partnerships to develop, educate and maintain the next generation of registered nurses through the community college system. Student Housing: The Higher Education Student Hous- ing Grant Program was established to provide grants for CCC, CSU and UC to construct housing for low-income students. The 2023 Budget Act shifted the program's General Fund support for UC/CSU grants to revenue bonds. It also reverted support for CCC affordable student housing grants with the intent to develop a statewide lease revenue bond or other statewide financing approach by the 2024 Budget Act; the Administration is expected to present a proposal for consideration in the May Revision. 35 F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 24