SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today released the following statement in response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2026–27 May Revision budget proposal, highlighting major investments that support student achievement, educator development, special education, literacy, and community schools across California.
“I am grateful to Governor Newsom for advancing a budget proposal that continues California’s commitment to investing in our students, educators, and schools,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “These historic investments reflect what we know works for students: strong literacy support, increased resources for special education, continued support for community schools that provide wraparound services, and resources for recruiting and retaining teachers. This proposal continues the important work of ensuring every student has access to the opportunities and support they need to thrive.”
Superintendent Thurmond has long advocated for these proposed investments that lead to demonstrable progress in academic achievement, graduation rates, and reductions in chronic absenteeism. Last year, for the first time in the history of the California School Dashboard, all key student outcomes showed improvement. These results followed significant investments in TK–12 education championed by Superintendent Thurmond, who is renewing the call for further support to keep the momentum going and move the needle on student achievement.
The Governor’s May Revision includes the following significant investments for California’s public schools and students:
- $5 billion for the Student Support and Professional Development Discretionary Block Grant, flexible dollars that could be utilized for teacher training, recruitment and retention, and career pathways and dual enrollment expansion efforts for career education;
- $2.4 billion ongoing investment in special education, representing the largest investment in special education in the state’s history;
- $1 billion ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund to expand the community school model to more school sites with large populations of students from low-income families, English learners, and foster youth, building on the investment of $485 million from the existing California Community Schools Partnership Program;
- $906.7 million to further increase funding for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), a discretionary investment, commonly referred to as a “super COLA,” that results in a total (statutory plus discretionary) COLA of 4.31 percent;
- $500 million investment to support literacy coaches and reading specialists;
- $16.2 million to secure an ongoing commitment to the Golden State Teacher Grant Program and strengthen teacher recruitment; and
- an additional $10 million for Holocaust and Genocide education.
The May Revision also supports implementation of Assembly Bill 65, sponsored by Superintendent Thurmond, which provides up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave for TK–12 educators and school employees. Additionally, the 2026–27 May Revision includes $30 million in one-time Proposition 98 General Funds for grants to local educational agencies to increase identification of and improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness. These funds will supplement existing federal McKinney-Vento Children and Youth grant program funding to expand access.
More information about Superintendent Thurmond’s initiatives can be found on the CDE Superintendent’s Initiatives web page.