The case for $100 million to protect California’s teacher pipeline

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OPINION – As the Legislature and Governor finalize California’s 2026-27 state budget, we face a consequential decision: whether to sustain one of our most effective tools for strengthening the teacher workforce, or allow it to wither just as it is delivering meaningful results.

Across California, too many classrooms, particularly in our highest-need communities, are staffed by substitutes, interns, or teachers working outside their credential area. Statewide, roughly one in seven teachers falls into this category. This translates to more than 300,000 students in the state’s highest-need schools, where vacancies are hardest to fill, being taught by unqualified teachers.

We cannot afford to retreat from investments that are strengthening our educator pipeline. A qualified, well-prepared teacher in every classroom remains one of the most powerful drivers of student success. When we stabilize our teacher workforce, we stabilize outcomes for students.

The Golden State Teacher Grant (GSTG) Program has been central to that progress by providing financial support to future educators who commit to serving in priority schools, campuses with high concentrations of low-income students, English learners, and foster youth.

The impact is measurable. Analysis by the Learning Policy Institute found that the GSTG Program likely contributed to a 23% increase in the number of teacher candidates earning a preliminary credential between 2022-23 and 2023-24. Since its launch, the program has supported more than 22,000 aspiring educators statewide, strengthening classrooms and reinforcing long-term workforce stability. A recent survey by the California Student Aid Commission, the agency that administers the program, showed that over 90% of GSTG recipients plan to remain in the state’s priority schools beyond their required service commitment. That is not a temporary fix. It’s lasting stability.

This is not simply an education line item, but an investment in our state’s future. California’s economy depends on a strong education system, and that system depends on credentialed teachers in every classroom who can effectively prepare our students for 21st century careers. If we divest from the pipeline, the consequences will be felt not only in our schools but also in our communities and labor market for years to come.

Budget priorities reflect our values. If we say we care about students in high-needs schools, we must fund the strategies that put qualified teachers in front of them. If we say we care about long-term economic growth, we must invest in the educators who prepare the next generation.

In the proposed 2026-27 state budget of $328.9 billion, the GSTG Program is funded at just $14.4 million in previously committed dollars, a dramatic reduction from its historic levels that effectively curtails the program. Without immediate action, California risks reversing recent gains in the number of qualified teachers entering the profession and deepening inequities faced by the state’s highest-need schools and the children they serve.

That is why I am calling on the Governor and my colleagues in the Legislature to invest $100 million in new funding for the Golden State Teacher Grant Program in the 2026–27 budget. This level of support will expand grant awards, assist more teacher candidates, including career changers and educators of color who reflect the diversity of our students, and help ensure every child has access to a fully prepared teacher.

This is a practical, evidence-based step that builds on what is already working. It complements other state investments in teacher preparation and retention. And it sends a clear message: California is committed to investing in both the students who depend on our schools and the educators who make learning possible.

At this moment, choosing to scale back progress would be a costly mistake. We must choose to strengthen the teacher workforce that strengthens California.

Assemblymember Dr. Corey A. Jackson represents California’s 60th Assembly District. He serves as Chair of the Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services.