To address the state’s estimated $14 billion deficit, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed the largest reduction to education funding in California history. For 2008-09, the Governor has proposed that the Legislature suspend Proposition 98 (the minimum funding guarantee for schools) and cut $4.4 billion (more than 9%) in education funds. The Governor has also proposed $400 million in education funding reductions in the current 2007-08 budget year.
When spread across the 6 million students enrolled in California’s public schools, $4.8 billion in cuts equates to $800 per student or:
$24,000 for a classroom of 30 students
$500,000 for an elementary school of 625 students
$2 million for a high school of 2500 students
These cuts will force half of San Diego’s school districts to file a qualified or negative certification stating they cannot meet their financial obligations. Bonsall Union may be one of them. Because school districts are required by law to provide layoff notices by March 15, some are already issuing pink slips. Bonsall Union will definitely be one of them. If these cuts go through as proposed, we can expect:
class sizes to increase by as much as a third
the loss of reading specialists and other interventions
fewer counselors and class selections for middle and high school students
the likely elimination of transportation, music and art programs
While it is clear there are extraordinary challenges in balancing the state’s budget, I strongly oppose the governor’s budget proposal. Our students and schools did not create this budget problem, and their progress shouldn’t be undermined because of it.
The governor’s budget reductions would be disastrous to public schools and the cuts are inconsistent with the state’s goal of improving student achievement. Laying off our best and brightest young teachers is unforgivable and appalling to me. Increasing class size and further eroding the support system for students provided by classified and paraprofessional staff is equally detrimental to student achievement.
California spends $1,900 less per student than the national average; when I was a public school student in the ’50-‘60s, California was in the nation’s top ten percent.. Other recent studies have shown that California seriously underfunds its public schools, with New York spending 75 percent more than California. In addition, California has some of the most overcrowded classrooms and the greatest shortages of librarians, counselors and other critical support staff in the nation.
California’s K-12 academic and performance standards are among the most challenging in the nation. With hard work, modest investments in teacher training and the adoption of standards-aligned textbooks, our students and schools have been making progress. Reading scores are up 25 percent and math scores have increased 17 percent in the last four years. This progress cannot continue with these proposed cuts to our public schools.
I am not a legislator, but I am a tax payer and I budget my own finances. Perhaps this is too simplistic, but if I do not have the money, I do not spend it. Why do governments continually spend more than they earn? When I budget, I make sure I pay the important bills first. Why do we constantly need to remind our politicians that education is our most important bridge to the future?
