A California Assembly budget subcommittee heard testimony Tuesday on a proposal to make Community Schools Partnership Program funding ongoing at $1 billion a year, with witnesses broadly backing the direction while pressing for tighter implementation language and stronger support structures.
In the hearing, a Department of Finance representative said the state has already invested $4.1 billion in one-time Proposition 98 General Fund money to implement community schools, describing the model as a whole-child strategy built around community engagement, wellness services and expanded learning opportunities. The same testimony said the proposal would continue existing grants and better integrate county offices of education into the statewide support system by clarifying that their universal and targeted assistance work includes coordinating partnerships and services for community schools. Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 transcript
Speakers also said the ongoing funding would not eliminate the planning requirements tied to the program. One witness said local education agencies would still need to complete an implementation plan in order to keep receiving funds, while another said the community schools development process helps align planning across funding streams such as expanded learning, universal school meals and transitional kindergarten. Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 transcript
The California Teachers Association urged lawmakers to make the trailer bill language more specific on shared governance, implementation expectations, eligibility and accountability. CTA also said some county-level responsibilities could be more labor-intensive than the funding accounts for. County office and technical-assistance speakers warned against weakening county coordination grants and specialized support roles, saying those structures have built expertise that should continue beyond their current expiration dates. Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 transcript
One speaker said the first two cohorts of community schools include roughly 1,000 schools and cited math proficiency gains 4 percentage points above the state average. The transcript excerpt does not show a committee vote or final action on the proposal.