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News Release
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2025 |
Los Angeles Unified Approves 2025-26 Budget Without Furloughs and Preserving Services
Los Angeles, CA (June 24, 2025) – The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education unanimously approved the 2025-26 budget, reaffirming its commitment to student safety and achievement, educational equity, and workforce support – while maintaining a focus on long-term fiscal sustainability. The budget reflects input from stakeholders through the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) process.
Highlights of the 2025-26 budget include:
- Additional $25 million in equity investment for the for Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP), bringing total funding to $175 million
- Additional $26 million for accelerated arts investment
- Additional $2 million for protection, awareness and training toward supporting LGBTQ+ students
- Continued $700 million commitment to the Student Equity Need Index (SENI)
- Increased funding for Student and Family Centers, up to $5 million
- Moratorium on Cabinet-level salary increases and on certain benefits for senior staff
- Preservation of current staffing levels without furloughs
- The Board of Education also supported the redirection of $645 million in general fund contributions, originally intended for the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) trust, to fund a Fiscal and Workforce Stabilization Fund no later than the First Interim Projection.
“The principles and values reflected in this budget uphold our promise to student equity,” Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. “While the structural deficit we face is unwelcome, our team has adopted a responsible framework with flexible guardrails that are adaptive to our economic reality. We will continue to monitor the budget throughout the year, preparing for future challenges while maintaining transparency.”
"Our budget is the clearest expression of our values, our commitment to protect our most sacred spaces - our schools,” Board President Scott M. Schmerelson said. I voted to support this budget because, though imperfect, it is the best we can do during these very difficult times.”
“I’m proud to support the 2025–26 LAUSD budget—an $18.8 billion investment that puts students, families, educators, and employees first. In Board District 2, this means protecting our highest-need schools, uplifting immigrant communities, expanding green spaces, protecting our LGBTQ+ communities, strengthening special education, and advancing success for Black students through increased investment in the Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP), said Board Vice President Dr. Rocío Rivas. “Even in challenging times, we lead with equity, care, love, and a deep commitment to every learner we serve.”
“In adopting the budget, difficult choices have to be made,” Board Member Sherlett Hendy Newbill said. “We must ensure our limited resources are prioritized, and there is no higher priority for LA Unified than investing in our students and their future.”
"Today I, and all of the Board members present, supported a budget that keeps our District on strong financial footing and reflects our shared commitment to students—but we must continue pushing for more transparency in the process and more opportunities for public input,” Board Member Nick Melvoin said. “As we move forward, I want to see increased investments in enrichment programs, early literacy, and school-site autonomy, and would also like to see the District think more about innovative ways to generate more revenue so that we can invest additional dollars in our students' success.”
“I’m proud to have amplified the voices of those who joined my budget conversations, testified at the public hearing, or fought to make their needs heard in other ways,” Board Member Karla Griego said. “Thanks to their advocacy, this budget now takes a step toward meeting the urgent needs of our vulnerable student populations, especially during this unjust political landscape. While there is still more to do, these budget amendments move us closer to a more equitable budget to ensure our students, staff and community feels supported.”
“Even as we face challenging fiscal realities, Los Angeles Unified continues to invest more in our schools and our students, particularly those that are most under attack from the federal administration,” Board Member Kelly Gonez said. “This budget preserves critical supports and positions and increases investments in the Black Student Achievement Plan, immigrant supports, greening and the arts.”
“This budget reflects the gravity of our district's current financial situation, investing equitably for both the short- and long-term,” Board Member Tanya Ortiz Franklin said. “While we are facing significant challenges, we are unified in our commitment to student achievement, staff wellness and fiscal responsibility.”
The full 2025-26 budget can be found here.
Previous news releases including on the proposed budget can be found at Los Angeles Unified’s newsroom.
For the most up-to-date information, please follow Los Angeles Unified on Twitter/X at @laschools and @lausdsup, Instagram at @laschools and @lausdsup, Facebook at @laschools and @AlbertoMCarvalho1, and Bluesky at @laschools.bsky.social and @lausdsup.bsky.social.
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