California allocates $116 million to aid homeless K-12 students as crisis deepens
Governor Gavin Newsom approved $116 million in the 2026-27 budget for homeless K-12 students, while a UCLA study reports a 10% rise in student homelessness since 2020.
In the 2026-27 California budget, Governor Gavin Newsom earmarked $116 million to support K-12 students experiencing homelessness, part of almost $25 billion spent on homelessness since 2019. A UCLA report titled State of Crisis 2026 finds nearly 300,000 K-12 students homeless, a 10% rise since 2020, with Monterey, Mendocino and San Mateo counties reporting the highest concentrations. Researchers warn that housing instability harms children’s development, health and academic performance.
Policy experts, including Grace Kim of the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools, recommend targeted regional interventions, stronger federal protections, a dedicated statewide funding stream, and monitoring of racial disparities. Pacific Research Institute’s Lance Izumi criticized the plan, saying it ignores core causes like substance abuse and focuses on cultural issues. Both the governor’s office and the report’s authors declined to comment.
Why it matters
The story highlights how massive state spending may not be curbing a growing homelessness crisis among California’s schoolchildren.
In this story
