Los Angeles Unified Board of Education Approves 2023-24 Revised Budget, Informed by Superintendent’s 2022-26 Strategic Plan
$19 Billion 2023-24 Budget Implements a Student-Focused Approach, Including Significant New Investments That Reinforce Our Commitment to Academic Excellence and Supporting Students and Employees
Los Angeles, CA (Aug. 22, 2023) – Today the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education unanimously approved the 2023-24 Revised Budget, as proposed by Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho. The Revised Budget incorporates additional revenues provided by the California State Budget than had been projected when the District’s Budget passed in June 2023. In alignment with the student-focused goals of the Strategic Plan, the District’s $19 billion budget unveils significant new investments that reinforce our commitment to academic excellence and supporting students and employees.
The budget is informed by engagement with Los Angeles Unified stakeholders through the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) development process and is guided by following the principles of aligning with the 2022-26 Strategic Plan, empowering student achievement, budgeting with equity and urgency, investing in our workforce and protecting fiscal responsibility. Created in the shadow of expiring one-time Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) III funding of $2.6 billion in total, the budget addresses the urgent need to manage the transition responsibly, as remaining funds must be spent by September 2024.
Over $5 billion through 2025-26 is invested in class size reduction; psychiatric social workers, pupil services and attendance counselors, academic counselors and psychologists; professional development; additional college counselors; and increased compensation for our valued employees.
Notably, the budget does not reduce health benefits for employees or retirees; lay off employees; reduce Student Equity Needs Index (SENI) or Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) funding; eliminate literacy and numeracy interventions; reduce student mental health supports; make wholesale reductions to student programs; reduce afterschool investments or reduce investments in community-based organizations.
“Our strategic, equity-driven, and historic investments in staff and our schools in this Revised Budget lead us towards being the premier urban school district in America,” Superintendent Carvalho said. “This year’s Revised Budget is responsible and values-based, enabling Los Angeles Unified to fund and support the critical priorities of this Board, even as one-time federal funding sunsets and the state grapples with a massive shortfall of revenue. Guided by our Strategic Plan, we will continue to implement data-informed strategies that enhance and inspire student achievement, support our highly effective workforce and protect taxpayers’ investments.”
