- Simone Braithwaite
- Simone.Braithwaite@asm.ca.gov
The Legislature achieved a major milestone this week as we passed a 2022-23 Budget with transformational K-16 investments. These investments are imperative to help California close the achievement gap, provide affordable childcare and provide college students with a debt free college experience.
As the Chair of Subcommittee #2 on Education Finance, securing these investments have been a top priority. Research has shown that education, especially early education, sets children up for success in school, lifts up working families, narrows opportunity gaps and breaks cycles of intergenerational poverty.
Investments include:
- School Funding: $9.4 billion ongoing to fund K-12 in the Local Control Funding Formula (16% increase)
- Child Care: $1.8 billion to help stabilize the Early Childhood Education workforce by increasing reimbursement rates for early education and childcare providers, and waive family fees for 2022-23
- Higher Education: $1.3 billion for base increases for UC, CSU, and Community Colleges to increase enrollment slots and support operational costs
- Financial Aid Reform: $315 million for the Cal Grant Reform Act and $227 million for the Middle Class Scholarship 2.0
- Student Housing: $2 billion for student housing projects, including the Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund, plus funding for various university and community college facilities
- School Facilities: $1 billion for school facilities and $650 million for early childhood education facilities
In addition, the Legislature has added important investments to help with housing affordability as California is in the middle of a housing affordability and availability crisis. More than $2 billion was added for various housing programs including $250 million for adaptive reuse – transitioning unused state buildings into housing.
I am proud of the work we’ve done to include these investments in the 2022-23 budget, and help California families achieve debt free college, and help with more affordable housing.
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Kevin McCarty represents California’s 7th Assembly District, which include the cities of Sacramento, West Sacramento and unincorporated Sacramento County. McCarty serves as Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. Website of Assemblymember Kevin McCarty: https://a06.asmdc.org/