What the Proposed 2026-2027 Budget Means for English Learners

On January 9, Governor Newsom unveiled his 2026-27 budget proposal. Californians Together is grateful for Governor Newsom’s dedication and focus toward sustaining our education system amidst another difficult budget year and a precarious federal landscape. This January budget proposal represents a critical opportunity to reinforce our commitment to equitable education, and to ensure that our most vulnerable students receive the support they need to thrive. 

With significant investments proposed for TK-12 education, we hope to see more targeted resources directed towards our English learners. These students have unique needs, and face additional challenges that require specialized support. We urge the Governor and legislature to keep our English learners in mind as they review and consider this year’s budget proposal. 

Highlights from the January Budget proposal:

• Universal and Differentiated Assistance—$13.3 million additional ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund, for a total of $131.9 million, for county offices of education to provide  universal and targeted support to school districts and charter schools, including those eligible for differentiated assistance.
  • This funding could be largely impactful for supporting school districts identified for differentiated assistance based on their performance for English learners and long-term English learners. 

• Student Support and Professional Discretionary Block Grant— $2.8 billion one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for a discretionary block grant.
  • These funds will provide local education agencies with additional fiscal support to manage attendance and enrollment declines, including those caused by federal government immigration actions, and address rising costs. As outlined in the proposal, these funds can support school districts in implementing statewide priorities, including:
    • professional development for teachers on the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework and the California Literacy Roadmap, with a focus on strategies to support literacy for English learners
    • professional development for teachers on the Mathematics Framework
    • teacher recruitment and retention strategies
    • professional development for TK teachers and site administrators on the principles and guidelines of developmentally appropriate TK  instruction
    •  career pathways and dual enrollment expansion efforts consistent  with the Master Plan for Career Education. 
  • We hope that districts utilize these funds through an equity lens, targeting investments to support their English learners and highest need students.

• Community Schools—Building on prior investments, the budget proposes $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 funds to expand the community school model to more school sites that have large concentrations of students from low-income families, English learners, and youth in foster care.

• Teacher Preparation—$250 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund to continue  educator residency programs through 2029-30.
  • As we work to equip our teachers with the skills and resources they need to serve our students, the state should focus special attention toward recruiting and incentivizing bilingual educators. 

As we continue conversations with the governor and legislature, we hope to see our priorities reflected in the final budget. These priorities include investments in: 

• California Newcomer Education and Well-Being (CalNEW) Program—No new funding was proposed for the CalNEW program. Additional funding  is critical for districts to support their newcomer students. Increased ongoing investments are vital, especially amidst Title III funding pressures and unprecedented attacks against newcomers and their families. 

• Educator Workforce Investment Grant (EWIG) for English Learner Roadmap implementation—With EWIG funds due to expire this June, new investments are necessary to ensure that districts can successfully implement the California English Learner Roadmap. The first iteration of EWIG reached 77,966 educators, and is an essential tool to equip local education agencies with the knowledge and resources they need to best serve English learners. 

A state budget is more than just numbers; it is a statement of our values. By strategically investing in the needs of English learners, we can ensure that every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to succeed. We look forward to working together to ensure our fiscal priorities reflect a commitment to the 1.1 million English learners who represent the future of our state.