California’s population is finally climbing again after pandemic declines—adding over 230,000 people in just one year. What does this mean for schools bracing for enrollment drops? This article breaks down the state’s demographic shifts and how a growing field of candidates for State Superintendent and Governor may shape education’s future.

As California school districts brace for leaner budgets over the next two years, a deeper look at revenue volatility explains why. Declining personal income tax revenues—especially from capital gains—are dragging down the General Fund, which directly funds schools through Prop. 98. Meanwhile, employer pension costs are surging, putting even more pressure on local education budgets.

As California housing costs soar, even six-figure incomes now qualify as “low income” in areas like San Francisco. The state’s 2025 income limits reveal how affordability is slipping further out of reach—especially for educators and school families. This week we explore how unaffordable housing erodes school communities by driving enrollment declines, straining budgets, and complicating staff retention in high-cost regions.

As Governor Newsom’s May Revision forecasts a “growth recession,” slower economic growth and rising unemployment could lead to deeper General Fund shortfalls. What does this mean for Proposition 98 funding? And could billions in corporate tax credits have gone to schools instead?