Greg Lucas

California's K-12 schools face a 'catastrophic' budget cut to the Compass program, which provides free online research materials like Encyclopedia Britannica and New York Times. The $5.5 million cancellation, effective July 1, 2027, will impact 10,000 schools and students, particularly in low-income districts unable to afford individual subscriptions.

California school librarians were surprised by a last-minute budget cut that cancels $5.5 million funding for online research materials, including Encyclopedia Britannica and New York Times, impacting 10,000 public schools. The Compass program, which provides vetted educational resources, faces termination by 2027, raising concerns about student access to reliable information and privacy risks from unvetted online sources.

California’s state budget cut $5.5 million for school libraries, eliminating access to online research materials like Encyclopedia Britannica, New York Times, and PBS videos. The last-minute decision, effective July 1, 2027, stunned librarians and risks leaving students without vetted resources, particularly in schools with limited librarian staffing.