Voters are likely to hear a lot about the education budget this year because labor and health organizations hope to place an initiative on the November ballot that would extend Proposition 30’s tax on high earners at least through 2030. Taxes are always a difficult issue for voters. This time, the economy and school budgets have been doing well, but there are concerns looking ahead.
As Brown said in his budget proposal earlier this month, the state’s $71.6 billion school budget has increased more than 50 percent since 2011. The overall growth per student has gone up by more than $3,800, from $10,699 in 2011 to a projected $14,550 this year.
School spending is also projected to go up whether or not the Proposition 30 taxes are extended. The Legislative Analyst’s Office, the state’s nonpartisan budget analyst, projects the minimum funding guarantee for public schools and community colleges is projected grow to $77.5 billion in 2019.