Guided by Principles: Shaping the State of California’s Role in K-12 Public School Facility Funding

This brief provides an overview of California’s K-12 school facilities funding. In 2023–24, state, local, and federal funding for California K–12 public schools is roughly $131 billion. Funding has increased nearly 32% between 2018-19 and 2023-24. In addition, due to the pandemic, the federal government has contributed 23 percent of K-12 funding. When compared to other states, California’s per-pupil spending is slightly above the national average.

Authors: Jeffrey M. Vincent, Liz S. Gross