The following is a submission from SMMUSD.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board of Education approved the District’s 2026-27 45-Day Budget Revision at its Aug. 6, 2026, regular meeting, incorporating approximately $11.23 million in new and increased state funding allocated through California’s enacted 2026-27 budget.
The revision marks the first time in 5 years since 2021-22 that SMMUSD has completed a 45- day budget revision. The update was necessary because of new and increased state funding allocations approved after the District adopted its 2026-27 budget in June.
A 45-day budget revision allows school districts to update their adopted budgets when the final state budget includes significant changes to funding assumptions. For SMMUSD, the revision incorporates a combination of one-time, ongoing and restricted resources.
The approximately $11.23 million in identified funding includes:
● approximately $7.49 million from the one-time Student Support Block Grant;
● approximately $2.97 million in estimated additional ongoing Special Education AB 602 funding;
● approximately $280,000 in additional ongoing Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funding; and
● approximately $490,000 from the final installment of the one-time Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant.
“These additional state resources provide important support for our students and programs, but it is important to understand that the approximately $11.23 million is not all unrestricted funding,” said Gerardo Cruz, assistant superintendent of Business Services and chief financial officer. “Much of the funding is restricted or designated for specific purposes. We will continue to carefully align these resources with allowable uses while maintaining a focus on the District’s long-term fiscal sustainability.”
The additional Special Education AB 602 funding may help reduce the amount the District provides from its local General Fund contribution to support special education programs and services, to the extent permitted by final state and Special Education Local Plan Area allocations. The funding remains dedicated to special education and is not considered unrestricted General Fund revenue.
The District will also prioritize the strategic use of one-time resources, including the Student Support Block Grant and Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant, for one-time or timelimited needs rather than creating ongoing costs that continue after those funding sources expire.
Additional funding through the state’s Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, Equity Multiplier is also expected but is not included in the approximately $11.23 million revision. The California Department of Education is expected to publish the 2026-27 eligible-school list and per-pupil rate in February 2027. The District will incorporate the funding once its allocation is confirmed.
The 45-day revisions will now be incorporated into the District’s 2026-27 budget and reflected in the First Interim Budget Report scheduled for December.
The Budget Report presentation is available here. The Board of Education meeting recording can be watched here.
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