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California’s 2025 proposed budget just dropped!

On Friday, January 10th, Governor Gavin Newsom released his proposed 2025-26 State Budget, which determines how much the state will fund everything that keeps California running. This year’s budget comes at a critical time for California. Our Southern California community is devastated by a series of fires, bringing unimaginable loss whilst education advocates prepare for an incoming federal administration that ran on threats to public education and communities of color.

California’s leadership is critical for the country. Here’s a quick breakdown of our favorite things in the proposed budget:

Fulfilling the Promise to Community Schools Funding!

• Continued funding for The California Community Schools Partnership Program (CCSPP) created in 2022 and advocated by CFJ and the California Partnership for the Future of Learning (CA PFL), to create racially just, relationship-centered schools across the state.
• Now in its 4th and final year, the state will fulfill its $4.1 billion promise towards implementation grants to more than 2,000+ schools.What’s the tea?

What’s the tea?
Community Schools were on the chopping block in 2024 due to the deficit but survived unscathed – thankfully! At CFJ, we don’t just advocate for relationship-centered schools – we believe in its power. Centering relationships means a higher quality of education for our youth, as we have witnessed with reduced chronic absenteeism & course failure rates, for example.

“[It is important] that students of all identities not only have basic needs met, but are able to live life in the pursuit of happiness rather than the pursuit of survival. This means that students of color who are generally the most disproportionately impacted by economic disparities, mental health issues, racial inequalities, and other hardships, are provided more financial aid, mental health support, educational assistance, and whatever resources they need.”
– Micah H., Long Beach Student Leader

Key Education Investments for School Transformation!

• Continued funding for the Equity Multiplier, an ongoing $311 million investment to highest need schools under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Its goal is accelerating learning gains and closing opportunity gaps for historically underserved students.
• California is also investing $300 million in its educator workforce to recruit and retain teachers of color. This investment will prioritize recruiting and hiring teachers in areas with critical teacher shortages and encouraging educators to teach at high-need schools serving low-income students and students of color for five years.
• A $1.8 billion Student Support and Discretionary Block Grant will provide resources for English Language Learners by offering educators professional development related to literacy instruction for English language learners.
• Starting this year, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) can use funds from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative to facilitate reimbursement for emotional, mental, and behavioral health services provided by schools and their community-based partners to students under age 26.
  

“Mental health [support] is important, I’ve seen what no support can do to a person. People aren’t naturally taught how to deal with their mental health, which can lead to [harmful] alternatives. People turn to drugs, fights, end up homeless, or at worst–dying by their own hands.”
– Xiomara L., Fresno Student Leader

What’s the tea?
California has suffered from low rankings in student and school investments compared to the national average for decades. This year’s investments follow a trend of increased education investments, including a more than 30% jump in school funding from 2019.

Today’s budget release is just the start of the conversation. While we are grateful to the Governor for keeping his promise to transform our education system, we urge California’s state leaders to continue prioritizing student needs and well-being in the face of potential challenges from the upcoming federal administration. From now until June 15, Governor Newsom, your lawmakers, and advocates (like us) will negotiate a final budget effective July 1st.

Take Action!

CFJ will hold its annual Youth Power Capitol Day in April 2025, where youth from across the state will come together to advocate for the policies that matter most to them. Stay connected with us here and on social media to learn how you can get involved! In the meantime, visit the We Are California Know Your Rights resources page to access fire relief and other Know Your Rights resources.