Newsom signs budget for California's public schools

Meanwhile, the budget also calls for the expansion of dual-enrollment college credit opportunities, updated middle and high school curriculum, 14 weeks of paid family/pregnancy leave for teachers and targeted recruitment for high-demand areas such as bilingual education.

Speaking in a press conference at Davis Joint Unified School District, Newsom shared personal childhood experiences, such as his mother's work with special needs adoptions and his own struggles with reading and learning disabilities.

"All of us learn differently, and so we have to do things differently,” the Democratic governor said at the Central Valley news conference. “Two point four billion dollars - a 43% increase year over year - you don't hear numbers like that. You've never heard a number like that in California."

Newsom encouraged lawmakers and educators to continue pushing for reforms. He noted education reform is not one big idea where someone gets done, then walks away.

“It’s about a habit,” said Newsom. "It’s a process.”

Davis schools Superintendent Matt Best said education is inspiring, challenging and rewarding. He added that it is only possible when educators have the resources and the vision to make it happen.

"Public education transforms lives,” said Best. “It cultivates the potential in each and every student throughout our state."

Assemblymember David Alvarez, D-San Diego, shared his personal story of being a first-generation college graduate and the son of immigrants with limited education.

"My parents never even had a first-grade education, and yet because of what California promised to generations in the past and with this bill, we continue to promise into the future,” said Alvarez. "To address the teacher pipeline issue, we are now going to be offering teachers paid family leave - 14 weeks so that teachers can actually enter the profession and know that they can actually start a family."