As students across the state have returned to their classrooms, I hear a common concern echoed by parents, teachers, and community members alike: our schools need more funding.
I understand that concern. Every parent wants their child to have the best opportunities possible. Every teacher wants the resources necessary to help students succeed. But after years of historic investments in education, the question is no longer whether California is funding education sufficiently.
The question is whether those dollars are reaching students and classrooms in the way they were intended.
Today, nearly half of California’s General Fund budget is dedicated to education. In fact, approximately 48% of General Fund spending, about $110 billion, goes toward TK-12 schools, community colleges, universities, financial aid, and other education programs. That is an extraordinary commitment by taxpayers and one of the largest investments California makes each year.
At the same time, the state must also fund public safety, healthcare, transportation, emergency services, infrastructure, and the basic operations that keep our communities functioning. Education is receiving a significant share of the state’s resources, and that investment has continued to grow.
Yet, I continue to hear a common refrain: “Our schools don’t have enough money.”
When I hear that, my response is simple: if nearly half of the state’s General Fund is already going to education, then perhaps the issue is not how much we are spending. Perhaps the issue is how the money is being spent and whether it is reaching the students who need it most.
Recently, a student interviewing for an internship in my office told me one of the biggest problems facing education was a lack of funding. When I explained how much money California invests in education, she immediately asked a question that many adults ask as well: “Then where is the money going?”
That’s the right question.
Many people do not realize how complex California’s education funding system has become. Schools receive funding from state, federal, and local sources. Through California’s Local Control Funding Formula, districts receive additional funding per pupil for students with greater needs, including English learners, foster youth, and low-income students. Schools with a greater number of students in these groups, above 55 percent, receive even more funding. That amount has also increased.
That additional funding exists for a reason. Students facing additional challenges often require additional support. Parents should know that if their child falls into one of these categories, their school receives extra resources intended to help meet those needs. Families have every right to ask what services are being provided and how those dollars are being used.
The same is true for special education, where the state has recently made substantial funding increases.
Governor Newsom recently signed legislation in July 2026 that provides a record $2.4 billion increase for California’s K-12 special education system. This historic package represents a 43% year-over-year funding boost designed to reform and improve services for students with disabilities.
This is why transparency matters.
Parents should not have to wonder where education dollars go. School districts are required to make budgets, plans, and spending priorities available to the public. School Site Councils, parent advisory groups, school board meetings, and district leadership all provide opportunities for families to engage in the process.
If parents want answers, they should attend meetings, ask questions, and hold local decision makers accountable. The funding is being provided. Public engagement is how we ensure it is being spent effectively.
We also need an honest conversation about student outcomes.
For years, poor academic performance has often been explained away by the pandemic. There is no question that COVID disrupted learning. But California was not the only state that experienced the pandemic. Every state did.
At some point, we have to stop using the pandemic as a permanent excuse for why California continues to struggle in key academic areas.
Others claim the poor performance is the result of a lack of sufficient funding, yet the governor’s budget proposal called for $27,418 in spending per pupil. This is an increase of $10,242 per pupil over the course of the Newsom administration.
Despite this massive increase in per pupil spending, student performance on California assessments has decreased overall. In 2018, California students were 6 points below standard on the English Language Arts assessment, versus 8.1 points below standard in 2025. In mathematics, students were 36.4 points below standard in 2018 and 42.4 points below standard in 2025.
Our students deserve more than excuses. They deserve results.
California taxpayers have made an enormous investment in public education. Parents, teachers, and students deserve confidence that those dollars are reaching classrooms, supporting learning, and improving outcomes.
Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh represents California’s 19th Senate district.