Schools, districts, and education policy in California.
The nation's second-largest school district imposed a moratorium on student access to generative AI tools, affecting 378,000 students. The move was disclosed at a committee meeting without a board vote, as the district studies how to regulate the technology.
Nearly $1 billion in utility ratepayer funds intended for school air conditioning and plumbing upgrades will largely revert to utilities by December 2026 after a last-minute budget deal extended deadlines for existing projects but did not reopen the program for new applications.
AB 2365 adds credential suspension or revocation as penalties for school administrators who fail to verify whether job applicants were reported for misconduct at previous employers. The bill follows a KQED-ProPublica investigation and is a scaled-back version of a proposed searchable database.
A UCLA analysis of state data shows homeless K-12 enrollment rose 10 percent above the pre-pandemic peak, with sharp racial disparities and widening gaps in achievement. California's new $116 Million grant program replaces expired federal aid.
Enrollment in the state's free pre-K program rose to 213,313 in 2025-26, but the share of eligible children enrolled fell to 52 percent, according to state data.
The board unanimously adopted a package combining a state grant, retiree health fund relief, and $78 million in cuts. The state fiscal watchdog warns the structural deficit remains and the union deal may only delay a crisis.
The state's 2026-27 budget makes paid pregnancy disability leave mandatory for all TK-14 public education employees, closing a gap with private-sector workers. The $218 million annual cost is funded through an enhanced discretionary cost-of-living adjustment.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 181 on July 10, 2026, restructuring the state's education governance by transferring management of the California Department of Education to a governor-appointed Education Commissioner and redefining the elected Superintendent's role.
The county projects a $231 million cash shortfall by November 2027 for the nation's second-largest school district, which educates about 390,000 students. The board faces escalated oversight if it does not comply.
