He announced Thursday a revised outlook for the budget year that starts July 1.
He cited a "modestly improved fiscal outlook" since January that will allow for $1.5 billion more in spending next year.
Most of that will go to K-12 education. He also is rolling back a plan to cut a half-billion dollars in child care support for low-income children.
The overall general fund spending plan is $124 billion, which Brown said "is considerably more constrained than in any year since 2012."
The release of Brown's budget plan kicks off a month of negotiations with the Legislature.