As part of California’s budget process, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s May revision adds billions to K-12 and community college funding, with Fresno Unified set to receive around $52 million more in funding.
Those funds will likely bring down the district’s projected $55 million deficit for the 2026-27 school year, although a district spokesperson wasn’t able to confirm by how much just yet.
The governor’s revised budget released last week increases Proposition 98 funds — annual guaranteed funding for public K-12 schools and community colleges — by $6.4 billion overall.
The May revision also includes a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) for an increase of $1.3 billion in statewide discretionary funds, and an additional $907.7 million in COLA funds to help educational agencies with rising costs and funding decreases from declining enrollment.
Not all of the $52.5 million can be used for any purpose, Fresno Unified spokesperson AJ Kato confirmed.
“It adds an additional $33 million in ongoing unrestricted funding and roughly $19.5 million in one-time funds,” Kato said in an email to Fresnoland.
Fresnoland inquired about the specific impacts the revision’s increased funds will have on the district’s allocations and budget. According to Jensen, more details will be reviewed at the school board meeting on May 27.
The upcoming meeting’s agenda contains a presentation outlining the revision’s impact on FUSD’s finances compared to the proposed budget in January, with planned reductions of $25 million in 2027-28 reduced to $0.
The governor’s revised budget also features increased funding for special education, community schools and literacy coaches. It also requires all TK-12 and community college districts to provide staff with up to 14 weeks of paid pregnancy leave starting in 2026-27, with costs of the new benefit partially absorbed by the LCFF COLA increase.
Patrick Jensen, the district’s chief financial officer, said in an interview on Monday that the new money from the state budget would help the district invest more in security and expand the number of schools in the district that offer wraparound support services for students and families, dubbed “community schools.”
“The expansion of community schools, it’s going to be a huge impact on our community and that’s going to let us go up to around 80 community schools,” Jensen said. He added, “there’s also a pot of one-time dollars that we’re looking at potentially using for safety and security upgrades.”
The upcoming meeting’s presentation shows that the district is setting aside $4.7 million for security upgrades, but does not detail how or where they will be implemented.
Currently, the district operates 29 community schools, which are school sites that offer programs and resources aimed at both students and families alike. Resources range from food, clothing and tutoring programs, to mentoring and wellness support.
The final determination of which and how many schools will become community schools will likely be made in November, according to Kato, who noted that discussions around community schools could begin once the district’s upcoming budget is finalized in June.
Kato also said in an email to Fresnoland that the district’s fiscal team was still examining how the new money might affect any looming staff cuts.
In the last two weeks, Fresno Unified’s board held two special meetings to confirm jobs cuts for certified and classified workers. An administrative law judge confirmed the district’s cause for the reductions, which will take effect on June 30.
The cuts triggered a “bumping” process that allows impacted staff to take a similar position in the same or alternative departments, allowing them to maintain employee benefits while taking pay cuts.
While Fresno Unified and districts across California are now looking at more funding compared to the proposed budget released in January, the May revision maintains a $3.9 billion settle-up in Prop. 98 funds for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Previously, Newsom’s January proposed budget withheld $5.6 billion in Prop. 98 funds, causing a stir for education leaders across California. Additionally, while Prop. 98 funds have increased by $6.4 billion from the proposed budget, $4.6 billion is required to be allocated into the proposition’s Rainy Day Fund and will not be immediately available for schools and community colleges.
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