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PED outlines FY26 public school support and PERF multiyear priorities including innovation zones, attendance and literacy
Summary
The Public Education Department and LESC staff described the executive and staff FY26 PSS budgets, requesting recurring and multiyear funding for teacher compensation, literacy and math initiatives, special education, school safety, universal meals and a $150M PERF seed for multiyear pilots including innovation zones and attendance programs.
The Public Education Department’s secretary‑designate summarized the executive FY26 public school support (PSS) and PED agency budget requests, emphasizing alignment with LESC staff recommendations and a mix of recurring and nonrecurring investments. The PSS proposal seeks about a 5.5% increase overall, with recurring general fund increases primarily for compensation, K‑12 plus, and expanded universal meals.
Key executive and PED priorities included a 3% compensation increase for school employees ($101,400,000), an expanded educator ecosystem investment ($50,000,000), funding for teacher residency and clinical practice ($20,000,000), literacy and math investments (a combined $54,000,000 for literacy and $14,000,000 for math initiatives), and targeted special education investments ($9,000,000 including a $4,000,000 state behavior initiative). PED also requested system investments — $4,000,000 for phase 1 of a statewide student information system (including a statewide IEP) and $4,000,000 for an online licensure portal to improve security and connectivity with the national licensure system.
Public Education Reform Fund (PERF) and multiyear budgeting: the executive and LESC staff both highlighted converting some PERF resources to multiyear appropriations. LESC staff recommended a $150,000,000 appropriation into PERF to seed 3‑year pilots and research funds; initial LESC PERF proposals include $45,000,000 for innovation zones ($15M/year for three years), $30,900,000 for attendance interventions, and targeted funding for students who are unhoused.
School safety and meals: PED reiterated requests for school security capital outlay transfers (staff noted a $50,000,000 distribution proposal), expanded panic‑button adoption and technical assistance for threat assessment, and $68,900,000 for student nutrition to sustain and expand the universal meals program. PED reported steep growth in meal participation and said the department projects continued increases next year.
Questions and follow‑up: committee members asked for bill drafts and technical materials in advance of January hearings. Legislators pressed staff and the secretary‑designate on the status of the statewide IEP template and how PED intends to implement new accountability, evaluation, and data systems; PED staff said a clean IEP template exists in draft form and that SIS roll‑out planning, training and user support are part of the requested funding.
Next steps: PED and LESC staff pledged to circulate bill drafts and the large fiscal spreadsheet to legislators before January so standing committees can review bill language, fiscal impacts and implementation details.
