California Governor Jerry Brown says the state no longer has a budget deficit. He called it a breakthough, but says the state still faces uncertainty in costs from federal health care reform.
Brown’s spending plan calls for small increases in education funding.
And he called for a new funding formula for K-through-12 schools that gives money based on a school’s percentage of low-income students and English-language learners.
“Our future depends not on across the board funding but in disproportionately funding those schools that have disproportionate challenges.”
Funding for K-12 schools would increase by $2.7 billion over last year. And his proposal would give each state university system an extra $250 million.
The budget also dedicated an additional $350 million to the state’s public insurance program, Medi-Cal, to help implement President Obama’s healthcare law.