California makes community schools permanent with $1 billion a year

Since 2021-22, California has spent $4.1 billion in one-time money helping schools adopt the community schools model, in which a campus works with health, social service and family partners to support students beyond the classroom. The 2026-27 budget makes that support permanent.

A new Legislative Analyst’s Office review of the K-12 budget, published Oct. 9, lays out how the ongoing program works. Here are the details school leaders and parents are most likely to ask about.

How much money, and for which schools

The budget sets aside $1 billion per year. Of that, $990 million goes to annual grants for school sites that meet two tests, according to the LAO:

• The school enrolls at least 10 students.
• At least 65% of students are English learners or from low-income families.

Schools already in the state’s one-time community schools program that do not meet those tests are also eligible.

Grants range from $75,000 to $400,000 per school, depending on enrollment, and will rise each year with the K-12 cost-of-living adjustment beginning in 2027-28. Money flows to school districts, county offices of education and charter schools, which can keep 10% of the total for their eligible sites to support implementation.

The deadlines

For 2026-27 funding, districts and charters had to opt in by Nov. 1, 2026. In later years, state law sets the yearly opt-in date at June 1 to receive money the following fiscal year, under California Education Code Section 8903. A district that missed this round can plan for a June 1, 2027, opt-in to start drawing funds in 2027-28.

Strings attached

The program comes with more structure than the one-time grants did. Based on the LAO summary:

• To opt in, a district must attest that it will follow the state’s community schools framework and provide signed commitment letters from groups such as the superintendent, principals, teachers, classified staff, students and parents.
• Planning comes first. Sites must spend their first two years of funding developing an implementation plan unless one already exists.
• Shared decision-making. Each site must form a council that writes the school’s plan.
• Public reporting. Plans must be presented publicly every year, posted online and include prior-year spending and student outcome data. Annual progress reports are required.
• Certification. Starting Oct. 1, 2031, sites must go through a state certification process every seven years.

Support for the field

Of the $1 billion, $10 million is reserved for at least one county office of education to run technical assistance, with at least $2 million for a statewide center. The budget also adds $84 million in one-time funds, including $50 million for redesigning secondary schools around the model and $10 million to build the certification process.

How it fits the larger budget

Community schools are one piece of a large K-12 package. The LAO estimates the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee for schools and community colleges at $128.1 billion in 2026-27, up $13.5 billion from the prior enacted budget. Other big items include a 4.31% increase to Local Control Funding Formula rates, a $2.4 billion boost that lifts the special education base rate to $1,340 per student, and a $5 billion one-time discretionary block grant.

Questions for your district

Parents and staff at qualifying schools may want to ask whether their district opted in by Nov. 1, who will sit on the site council and when the first implementation plan will be presented. Those plans must be public, which makes them one of the easier ways for families to see how the money is being spent.