Governor Newsom signed the final 2026-27 California state budget on June 29, 2026. The Community College League of California called it "one of the most successful in recent history for California Community Colleges." For faculty at Cypress College, Fullerton College, and North Orange Continuing Education, the budget determines the funding environment inside which we teach, bargain, and plan.

The community college numbers

• $292 million ongoing (2.87 percent) for the statutory Student-Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) cost-of-living adjustment.
• $159.7 million ongoing (1.44 percent) discretionary apportionment augmentation, including Hold Harmless district resources — earmarked to support the new Paid Pregnancy Disability Leave mandate that takes effect January 1, 2027.
• $153.1 million ongoing for 2.5 percent enrollment growth funding over two years, with new statute allowing funded credit enrollment to equal the higher of the current-year FTES or a three-year rolling average beginning 2026-27.
• $30.1 million ongoing — a 5.74 percent cost-of-living adjustment for the Student Equity and Achievement Program.
• $147.2 million one-time — flexible Student Support Block Grant.
• $120.7 million one-time — Deferred Maintenance and Instructional Equipment.
• The community college share of Proposition 98 rises from 10.9 to 11.1 percent — a $217.7 million ongoing bump through Prop 98 split modernization.

Broader budget context

The full 2026-27 state budget totals $351.7 billion, with a $251.5 billion General Fund. The state closed the year with balanced budgets for both 2026-27 and 2027-28, reserves totaling $28.8 billion (including a $15.1 billion rainy day fund and a $9.2 billion Prop 98 reserve), and a projected 2029-30 operating deficit of $8.4 billion — reduced from a $23 billion projection in January. Total Proposition 98 funding for K-12 schools and community colleges reaches $128 billion.

The point of tension worth knowing about

CTA and several legislators criticized the Governor's decision to withhold $3.9 billion in Prop 98 funds through an accounting mechanism. CTA President David Goldberg called the maneuver a constitutional violation and said CTA is considering suing, arguing that the funds "are urgently needed now." Separately, the budget carried a governance change to the Department of Education: starting January 15, 2027, the elected State Superintendent becomes one of thirteen members on the State Board of Education, led by a governor-appointed commissioner. CTA and several senators criticized the process, noting that voters have rejected four prior ballot measures to abolish the elected superintendent role and that this change was jammed into the budget bill rather than put to voters.

What this means for NOCCCD faculty

Two connections to name plainly. First, the 2.87 percent SCFF cost-of-living adjustment and the Hold Harmless resources feed the SCFF revenue calculation that determines whether NOCCCD clears the Hold Harmless threshold that triggers the 25/26 salary contingency in our current CBA. Preliminary estimates from earlier in the year, subject to the final P2 report and end-of-May state adjustments, projected an approximately 4.38 percent ongoing increase to the 2026-27 salary schedules and a one-time payment. Whether those preliminary numbers hold — or shift with the final state budget outcome — will be reported by the bargaining team as the settle-up calculation is completed.

Second, the new Paid Pregnancy Disability Leave mandate takes effect January 1, 2027. UF will confirm that CBA language accommodates the new mandate and will report to members on any district implementation timeline.

The Community College League has asked its members to thank legislators and the Governor with concrete examples of how these dollars will affect specific campuses. Members who want to add their voice can contact their state legislators directly.