Governor Newsom just released his 2022-23 Budget Proposal and while there’s a lot to be negotiated before June 30th, there’s enough of a storyline to start making plans now. 

High quality information from various sources are easy to find, so we won’t be repetitive here. Instead, we offer three key ideas about what you can do now to prepare.

Big Idea #1: Messaging about Money

Huge gains in income and sales tax revenues are creating an unprecedented surplus that will trigger both increases to Proposition 98 as well as those legislative must-dos whenever we exceed the Gann limit.  

Planning Note #1: The general public will hear that education is getting a lot more, so it’s important to proactively communicate details that matter to your individual circumstances. The increased funding will not be in the form of ongoing, flexible cash. (See more below.)

Big Idea #2: NEW Programming Abound

The proposal is packed full of one-time, program-specific ideas, many of which have been gaining momentum in recent years. These include expanding TK, supporting facilities construction & modernization, expanding the workforce, and supporting early literacy.

Planning Note #2: In any case where new programs become a reality, staffing at the local level will be critical. It is unsustainable to think that current employees will keep adding to their plates. Administrators will be needed to manage programs; teachers, counselors, and others will be needed to deliver services; and classified staff will be needed to support logistics. Strategize with your HR department NOW and forecast your local areas of interest and need.

Big Idea #3: Oftentimes, You Need to ASK

Several ideas will be funded using competitive grants. Kitchen infrastructure to support universal meals, early literacy to support coaching and curriculum, and school facilities construction/modernization will each require Districts to develop proposals and grant applications.

Planning Note #3: The earlier you can assess current conditions and anticipated needs, the better.  Strategize with Facilities, Educational Services, and Child Nutrition. Getting key individuals involved in wanting these programs and then working with them to plan ahead will go a long way. Hiring professional grant writing services early on will also help as the demand for these services will surely increase.

At TRiGroup, we are prepared to help plan and implement in several key areas. Don’t hesitate to call us for advice. 

CASBO serves us well as a primary source for interpreting the current landscape and we would strongly recommend paying attention to both their updates and calls for advocacy.  Additionally, because this budget proposal includes significant developments related to school facilities, CASH is our trusted source for insights and advice. We provide additional links below.  

For CASBO’s detailed summary, click HERE.

For CASBO’s podcast on this topic, click HERE.

For CASH’s summary, emphasizing facilities, click HERE.