Alliance Blog

Today, we take a look at the May Revise to the California State Budget. We also share a special message from California policymakers past and present celebrating the incredible work of the Linked Learning field this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on our society. In addition to presenting new challenges, the pandemic has exacerbated existing educational inequities for students of color and those from low-income households. As California moves toward economic recovery, it is more critical than ever to understand the educational and youth development strategies that keep all students on a path to college, career, and life success from the moment they begin their educational journeys.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the long-awaited K-12 education trailer bill on July 9, 2021. The 2021-22 budget includes historic funding levels focused on getting students back into the classroom and ensuring those disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic get the support they need to promote their overall well-being and academic success.

Last week, Governor Newsom signed AB 132, the Higher Education budget bill dubbed the California Comeback Plan. We take a deeper dive into the bill in today's policy blog.

For this week's policy updates, we review bills that passed out of CA State Legislature Appropriations that may be of interest to the Linked Learning field.

The 2021 legislative session came to a close last Friday, September 10^th. This week, we dive into some of the bills moving forward to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for signature or veto. These bills address key components of Linked Learning, including student supports, youth civic engagement, higher education access, and more.

On Sunday October 10, Governor Gavin Newsom signed every bill below that we identified as bills of interest last month. These bills address key components of Linked Learning, including student supports, youth civic engagement, higher education access, and more.

The Linked Learning Alliance applauds Governor Newsom’s budget proposal for the 2022–2023 fiscal year. The more than $2 billion in funding for college and career pathways and dual enrollment constitutes a transformative investment in youth ages 14 to 24 who are in the decade of difference, a formative period of development when young people establish their identities, dispositions, and lifelong aspirations.

We are proud to announce the launch of Keep Us Linked, a campaign to support investments in high-quality, evidence-based college and career readiness initiatives in the California State Budget.