Herb Morgan Blasts California's $151 Billion School Spending as Test Scores Lag

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 20

$151 billion in California K-12 funding has not translated into better student outcomes, controller candidate Herb Morgan said, arguing the state faces an "educational paradox" despite a sharp rise in spending.
Per-student spending climbed from $16,300 in 2019 to $27,400 in the current budget cycle, but Morgan said weak state accountability lets billions disappear into local bureaucracies instead of reaching classrooms.
Morgan pointed to alleged abuses including $400 million diverted through the A3 Education Charter Network, a $16 million siphoning case at Scale Leadership Academy, and a $17 million embezzlement case in Orange County's Magnolia School District.
Mississippi spends about $12,000 per student—less than half California's level—yet posts higher 4th- and 8th-grade math and reading scores on NAEP, a comparison Morgan used to challenge the state's spending model.
The attack lands as incumbent Controller Malia Cohen has already backed new legislation to tighten oversight of local education agencies, while Morgan says AI-driven audits could better detect fraud across California's budget.