On January 10th Governor Brown released his budget proposal for the 2017-18 fiscal year. The budget summary emphasizes the importance of investing in California’s workforce and recognizes that these investments will help improve student educational outcomes and earning potential, reduce poverty, and better prepare the state’s workforce for the changing labor market and economy.
The budget proposes to maintain a number of programs that support students pursuing workforce education and training. These investment include:
$248 M to support the Strong Workforce Program in the community colleges.
$500 M for the Adult Education Block Grant Program.
$50 M for the Student Services for Basic Skills Students Program.
$54.9 M Proposition 98 General Fund and $13 M Employment Training Fund for apprenticeship programs.
$22.9 M to support the Economic and Workforce Development Program in the community colleges.
$200 M for the final installment of funding for the Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program for K-12. Beginning 2018-19 schools are expected to support the full cost of these programs within the Local Control Funding Formula allocations.
A new one-time investment of $150 M for grants to community colleges to develop and implement “guided pathways” is also proposed. Colleges could use this funding to design coursework into coherent roadmaps and pathways that help students complete a credential or degree in a timely manner.
More details will be available in late January when the Department of Finance issues trailer bill language.