EDUCATION COALITION SAYS CUTS WILL CONTINUE TO HURT CALIFORNIA’S STUDENTS; SUPPORTS REPAYING SCHOOLS THE FUNDS THEY ARE OWED BY LAW

With last night’s announcement by Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders that a budget agreement had been reached, the Education Coalition would like to remind all Californians of the toll that’s been taken on our students’ education as a result of the nearly $12 billion in cuts already enacted.

Though the coalition supports restoring the funding schools are owed under Prop. 98, the state’s voter-approved minimum school funding guarantee, the additional $6 billion in cuts will further impact California’s students, who live in a state that ranks nearly last in the nation in per-pupil spending. And in this tough economic climate, we question our leaders’ priorities when corporations are provided with tax loopholes as students suffer unprecedented cuts, rising class sizes and lost educational opportunities.

With school doors opening in just a few short weeks, school districts are currently trying to plan for the upcoming year, and hope to clarify their budgets once the state budget agreement passes. More than 17,000 teachers and administrators have already lost their jobs, as well as more than 10,000 custodians, bus drivers, food service workers and other school employees.

California’s schools are being subjected to historic cuts unlike anything we’ve seen since the Great Depression. This has resulted in larger class sizes, canceled bus routes, fewer advanced placement offerings, summer school programs eliminated and arts and music classes canceled.

Below are just a few of the most recent examples from across the state of the impact of cuts to education:

Budget cuts force Marin districts to close summer schools – Marin Independent Journal – 7.15.09

The summer school program for the Tamalpais Union High School District had to slice 15 percent from their budget as a result of state cuts to education. The cuts have eliminated Spanish and physical education classes, taken away teachers' aides and clerical assistants and scrimped on materials and supplies. At the Dixie School District in San Rafael, a sign posted on the Vallecito Elementary School says it all: “Summer School Cancelled Due To State Budget Cuts.” Like most of Marin's school districts, Dixie receives much of its funding from local property taxes, which has shielded the district from most of the state cuts to education during the past year. But recent state cuts to categorical programs, such as class size caps and instructional aides, have begun taking their toll on Dixie's budget.

School districts may stop buses – The Desert Sun – 7.15.09

Two local school districts are considering either eliminating bus routes or charging for home-to-school transportation as the state continues to propose further cuts to education. A letter will be sent to parents in the Palm Springs Unified district this week explaining the budget situation and letting them know that high school transportation may be eliminated for this school year, saving the district about $400,000 annually. The proposal will eliminate about seven routes and impact about 350 students. Desert Sands Unified is studying whether the district should charge for bus transportation or further adjust or eliminate routes. The district has already increased walking distances.

More than 130 teachers could lose jobs – Folsom Telegraph – 7.15.09

The first wave of pink slips hit Folsom teachers last year, targeting nearly 50 educators. Another 50 were let go in May. Teachers aren’t the only ones in the district facing layoffs. This next round of layoffs is expected to affect 59 “classified” employees and another 132 educators, or “certificated” employees – who range from cooks, and bus drivers to custodians.

The Education Coalition represents more than 2.5 million teachers, parents, administrators, school board members, school employees and other education advocates in California. For more information, please visit our website at: www.protectourstudents.org.

With the shipwreck otherwise known as California’s budget crisis making most Californians feel like castaways marooned on a deserted island without the basic necessities, three GOP gubernatorial candidates have emerged claiming to have the survival skills to rescue us from our misery.

But seeing these three hopefuls in action is more like watching the characters on an episode of Gilligan’s Island bumble through a foiled escape plan than finding the serious life-boat California needs to turn our state around.

If I had to assign characters to each of them, Steve Poizner would be the “Skipper,” Tom Campbell would be the “Professor” and Meg Whitman would be “Thurston Howell, III.”

Let’s start with Steve “the Skipper” Poizner – if his performance at Monday’s Press Club luncheon is any indication, it is clear that this guy is chronically in a bad mood, much like the grumpy Skipper character on the show. Maybe Poizner’s apparent irritation at the world will help him capture the “mad as hell” voters on the far right in a Republican Primary, but I don’t know how this unhappy camper wins over voters in a general election. Though many pundits have said that Arnold Schwarzenegger would never have won in a Republican Primary without the “perfect storm” created by the Recall Election, at least he knew how to woo the voters of California with a certain amount of charm and people skills that don’t seem to be in Poizner’s genetic makeup.

   

At the same debate, Poizner even emulated the classic Skipper head-conk by bashing his fellow Republican Senator Abel Maldonado and making a pretty incendiary claim that he “sold his vote” on the state budget.   As a resident on the shrinking island of California GOP politics, I can’t imagine that this gratuitous attack helps him build any alliances for survival.   The fact remains, at the end of the day, even cranky voters need someone to lift them up – and this “Skipper” doesn’t seem to have it in him.  

Also aboard the ill-fated S.S. Minnow, there’s Tom “the Professor” Campbell.   Much like the professor on Gilligan’s Island, Campbell just can’t seem to help himself from speaking to the public as if he’s lecturing a class.   Pulling out an actual “white board” at the Press Club luncheon, Campbell feverishly jotted down facts and figures about his budget proposal as his opening statement.  Though I find that his “solution” would be harmful to the future of our state by making devastating cuts to our schools and health care system, you have to give “the Professor” some credit for at least putting forward an actual plan.   Much like the professor on the show, however, Campbell is still struggling to be relevant – and his easy-going manner won’t help him in a furious fundraising fight against two Primary opponents with strong personalities and giant checkbooks.

And finally on the GOP version of Gilligan’s Island, Meg Whitman clearly fits the profile of the East Coast elitist Thurston Howell, III.   Though the character comparison may not be gender-accurate, Whitman certainly is projecting the traits of someone who thinks she is superior to the masses and is undeniably out-of-touch.  Her refusal to attend yesterday’s California Press Club luncheon (or even return their phone call) certainly drew the ire of the debate moderator and some reporters in the room, as Whitman once again snubbed her the California press corps in favor of doing a softball interview on national television.  This continued “Sarah Palin press strategy” of avoiding conversations with serious political reporters only marginalizes Whitman as she fails to address some of California’s most urgent concerns.  

Though she did speak to a friendly audience at the carefully staged Roseville Chamber of Commerce luncheon last week, Whitman’s performance was long on recycled platitudes and woefully short on specifics.   Using the dated Republican quip “our state doesn’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem,” Whitman apparently doesn’t live the same state as the rest of us – one that is facing a $23 billion deficit.  At this point, even the most ardent conservatives have to acknowledge that we do have a revenue “problem” – so perhaps Whitman would be better served to emulate her self-proclaimed hero, Ronald Reagan, and come up with a real revenue solution to closing a state budget gap.  

Instead, she continues to take pandering shots at California state employees, saying she will cut the state’s workforce by up to 40,000 workers, but refusing to give specifics.  That’s because she knows that as soon as her layoff victims are no longer nameless and faceless, but instead beloved members of  communities across California, like teachers, firefighters, nurses, prison guards and police officers, the idea will become a whole lot less popular – and so will she.  

One hard reality that Thurston Howell had to face was that no amount of money could buy his way off of the island.   This is a lesson that Whitman, who has already pledged to spend $150 million of her fortune on her campaign, has yet to learn.

The fact is that the GOP isn’t the SOS that California needs to rebuild our shipwreck, and that with this cast of characters, much like on the show, we’ll never get off the deserted island.

As school districts across the state consider budgets for the coming school year and continue to deal with the fallout of $11.6 billion in statewide education funding cuts, many fear a crisis in our public schools if Prop 1B doesn’t pass on the May 19th ballot, and critical programs and services for students are eliminated, class sizes increase, and teachers, administrators and education support staff lose their jobs.

This week’s hearing in the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance highlighted many school districts that are already in grave financial situations and could become financially insolvent without restoration of the cuts. The fact remains – without the benefit of a crystal ball, school districts must plan for the next school year and make painful cuts to programs for students.

Prop 1B restores $9 billion of the funding cuts to our students that are owed to schools under the state’s minimum school funding law. It sets out a schedule for repaying our schools, and corrects a manipulation of Prop 98 that shortchanges our students of billions that they are owed. Voters have affirmed their support for the minimum school funding guarantee under Prop 98 time and again, and continue to say that providing adequate funding for our schools is their top priority.

With California ranking nearly last in the nation in per-pupil funding, the Education Coalition has always remained committed to finding long-term solutions to the chronic underfunding of our public schools and addressing the needs of all students, and will continue to do so.

Below please find the most recent examples of the devastating layoffs and program cuts continuing to occur in California’s public schools:

5.8.09 – Santa Ynez Valley News – Solvang lays off 7 of 30 teachers

The Solvang Elementary School Board approved the layoff of seven of its 30 teachers Tuesday night, the final step in staff reductions that began with preliminary pink slips issued in March. The seven teachers taught kindergarten, first, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth grades, Allcock said. The layoffs mean that class sizes might increase in the higher grades to 23 or 25 students per class.

5.7.09 – Bakersfield Californian – Schools riding another declining budget wave

Rosedale Union School District planned two “tiers” of possible cuts. Now the deeper Tier II reduction options, including raising class sizes in grades K through 3, are more likely.

The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District will raise class sizes to an average of 26 next year, up from this year's average of 20.

Budget reductions also mean the district will suspend its Summer Music Conservatory, which served hundreds of young musicians in a typical summer, according to the district.

The Kern High School District projected a worst case, $40 million budget reduction. That's on top of the $22 million in cuts already identified as needed.

5.7.09 – Riverside Press Enterprise – Layoffs, budget cuts on Alvord school board’s agenda

An overflow crowd packed the Alvord Unified School District board meeting Tuesday with teachers wearing pink shirts to call attention to 155 layoff pink slips. The district still plans more staffing adjustments, including cutting the jobs of three middle school teachers, two counselors, two assistant principals, and paying the salaries of 2.5 other assistant principals from funds previously restricted for specific categories of students. The district also plans to cut an administrator in alternative education. Those staffing cuts total $900,000. Another $600,000 is expected to be cut from school maintenance, and the district expects to offset $1.7 million of special education costs with federal stimulus funds.

As California’s public schools continue to grapple with the fallout of $11.6 billion in statewide education funding cuts, educators are looking to Prop 1B on the May 19th ballot to restore $9 billion of the funding cuts to our students that are owed to schools under the state’s minimum school funding law. Prop 1B sets out a schedule for repaying our schools, and corrects a manipulation of Prop 98 that shortchanges our students of billions that they are owed. Voters have affirmed their support for the minimum school funding guarantee under Prop 98 time and again, and continue to say that providing adequate funding for our schools is their top priority. With more than 30,000 teachers and administrators already receiving pink slips, and 10,000 school employees laid off, many school districts will be forced to lay off even more educators if the funds to public schools are not restored with the passage of Prop. 1B.

Though the federal stimulus funds released this week under the Education Recovery Act will begin to mitigate a portion of the layoff notices over the short-term, Prop 1B will help schools recover from some of the devastating cuts, ensuring that quality educators and support staff can stay in the classroom, and that programs critical to student learning will not be eliminated from our schools.

With California ranking nearly last in the nation in per-pupil funding, the Education Coalition has always remained committed to finding long-term solutions to the chronic underfunding of our public schools and addressing the needs of all students, and will continue to do so. California’s students are already subjected to the largest class sizes and have access to the fewest librarians, counselors and support staff of any state in the country.

Without restoration of the funds, local schools are being forced to make unprecedented cuts that will shortchange an entire generation of students. Excerpts from the articles below illustrate the grave problems and impossible choices currently facing our schools:

The Beach Reporter 4/23/09: School Board presses on amid budget woes

In times like these, the Redondo Beach Unified School District is not alone in its budget crunch. In fact, all California schools have been dealt the same grim hand from Sacramento. “We’re all hit hard and that’s the thing that’s very disconcerting, that it’s the entire state’s education system that’s at risk — and it’s a significant risk,” said RBUSD’s Chief Business Official Janet Redella. As a result, the School District, which has an approximately $68 million annual budget, has had to take a serious look at its operations.

Thousand Oaks Acorn 4/23/09 – Conejo School District starts slashing administrative positions

Conejo Valley Unified School District school board members made their first concrete decision regarding imminent cuts to their budget. CVUSD needs to cut a little more than $5 million from its 2009-10 budget, beginning with the elimination of five district management positions, which will save the district $460,000. $2 million will come from hard cuts to be determined at the board's next meeting on May 5. Class sizes in kindergarten through third grade will likely be increased, as will math and English classes for eighth through 10th-graders.

Monterey County Herald – 4/21/09 – 21 positions eliminated

More than $1.2 million will be cut from elementary education in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, with most of the savings coming from changes in the state's Class Size Reduction program.

The current program requires one teacher for every 20.4 students. Next year, class size will increase to 22.4 students per teacher for kindergarten, first grade and second grade, and to one teacher for every 24.9 third graders. This change will eliminate 21 teaching positions. Middle schools and high schools will lose about $473,000, including two high school librarian positions.

Restructuring of special education will save more than $1.25 million, though services will increase. More than $1 million will be cut from transportation services with possibly 13 positions eliminated. Nearly $364,000 will be cut from athletics by eliminating transportation to games and offering middle-school athletics through after-school programs. Music education will lose some positions, though more money will be infused into the programs. The district has eight full-time- equivalent music teachers this school year. The changes could eliminate up to two positions,

The Signal – 4/22/09 – Castaic Union to lay off 10, Cuts limited to classified employees

The positions slated for layoffs range from a custodian to a nurse assistant, three bus drivers, a health aid and various instructional aides throughout the district, Gibson said.

Modesto Bee – 4/21/09 – School board OKs plan for cuts

Modesto City Schools trustees Monday night approved a tentative agreement with the Modesto Teachers Association that provides for a slate of reductions in pay, workdays and stipends for the 2009-10 school year. It also increases maximum possible class sizes and the ratio of students per counselor. Officials are staring down $12 million in budget cuts for the next school year. Changes include a 1 percent pay cut for most certificated employees; setting class sizes at a maximum of 38 students in core academic classes, 60 for physical education and 40 in all other classes; and reductions to student activity directors' hours.

The Education Coalition represents more than 2.5 million teachers, parents, administrators, school board members, school employees and other education advocates in California. For more information, please visit our website at: www.protectourstudents.org.

In the midst of the biggest education funding crisis in California’s history, with an unprecedented 30,000 pink slips issued to teachers and administrators statewide, and nearly 10,000 school employees receiving layoff notices, today the Governor’s office released some much-needed good news:  California will be the first state in the nation to receive federal stimulus funds for education.

The $3.1 billion in Education Recovery Act dollars being released will begin to mitigate the damage caused by the $11.6 billion in cuts to public schools in this year’s budget deal.  

These funds will be administered by State Superintendent Jack O’Connell through the California Department of Education, and districts may apply for funding immediately.

Passage of Prop. 1 B on the May 19th ballot is the next critical step toward repaying schools the billions more in funding that was cut.    California’s schools are ranked near dead last in the nation in per-pupil funding and have the largest class sizes and the fewest librarians, counselors and support staff of any state in the country.  

And as the economy worsens, schools are being expected to provide even more social services to protect students from the cruel realities many face at home.  Once again, schools are expected to be doing “more with less,” with so few resources left that they are stretched to the breaking point.

That’s why the Education Coalition supports creating long-term, stable revenue solutions to ensure that we never again rank dead last in how much we invest in our students.

The Education Coalition represents more than 2.5 million teachers, parents, administrators, school board members, school employees and other education advocates in California. For more information, please visit our website at: www.protectourstudents.org

As the aftershocks of the $11.6 billion in budget cuts, 30,000 teacher and administrator pink slips and nearly 10,000 school employee layoffs reverberate through California’s public schools, the casualties are becoming more apparent every day.

Program cuts impacting minorities and other vulnerable students are particularly devastating. Whether having fewer bilingual teachers in the classroom or closing some schools in low-income areas, it’s the students who can afford it least that are paying the price for California’s state budget crisis. And as class sizes increase, many teachers will be forced to implement a one-size-fits-all strategy, trying to integrate both students who need extra help and more advanced students, all while accommodating unmanageable per-pupil ratios.

Below are excerpts from news articles in cities across California trying to cope with the impact of the budget cuts on minority students:

Diversity Will Be a Casualty of Teacher Layoffs –New America Media

Corine Coaloca will graduate this May from San Diego State University with two teaching credentials—one in bilingual education, and one in special education. A Mexican American, Coaloca, 24, wants to teach in a border community where her language skills and cultural background will translate well with students.

Another possible impact is that layoffs will mean less diversity in California’s current teacher workforce—and among aspiring teachers, like Coaloca. Although the California Department of Education doesn’t calculate the race or ethnicity of teachers being laid off, data on the teacher workforce indicates that a higher percentage of junior teachers are ethnic minorities. And last hired will be first fired, according to the process for layoffs.

In the 2000-2001 school year, about 25 percent of teachers—or some 77,000—were of an ethnicity other than white. In the 2007-2008 school year, about 29 percent —or 91,000—were. The good news, then, is that over the past six years, some 14,000 teachers with diverse backgrounds were added to public school classrooms. The bad news is that they are among the junior teaching force most likely to receive pink slips.

Budget Cuts Threaten Arvin English Classes – KERO Ch23

The state's budget woes could have a damaging effect on an English class for dozens of Spanish-speaking immigrants who live in southern Kern County.

The Farmworker Institute for Education and Leadership Development, or FIELD for short, provides English classes twice every weekday to Latino immigrants in Arvin.

The language barrier that challenges the students in their class every day is significant, but the funding barrier FIELD finds itself in is what has students and administrators worried.

“We'd be closing dreams,” Jose Solis, an ESL teacher for FIELD, said. “All of these students have a backpack filled with dreams, goals, and they want to change their lives.”

“Knowing English is important because if the parents don't know English, many times the language barrier gets passed on to their kids,” Solis said.

S.J. school budget cuts especially rough on Latino, low income families – Closures open wound

Districts across the state are contemplating drastic cuts to educational programs and school staffs.

To close a school is among the most controversial and emotional of those spending decisions, and in San Joaquin County, the children whom school closures tend to affect the most are those who already are academically vulnerable.

The public schools that have been closed in recent weeks – Tracy's Delta Island, Stockton Unified's Grant and Lodi Unified's Turner – are small but serve higher-than-average percentages of children who are Latino, who are poor and who don't speak English fluently.

Fixing California’s problem of chronically underfunding our public schools will take a multi-pronged approach, starting with immediate distribution of the federal stimulus funds, passing Prop 1B on May 19th to restore $9 billion of the funds that have been cut, and then creating long-term, stable revenue solutions to ensure that we never again rank dead last in how much we invest in our students.

The Education Coalition represents more than 2.5 million teachers, parents, administrators, school board members, school employees and other education advocates in California. For more information, please visit our website at: www.protectourstudents.org.

On this April Fools’ Day, as the impact of $11.6 billion in budget cuts to schools continues to result in teachers, administrators and school employees being pink-slipped, class sizes swelling and vital programs being cut, sadly, the not-so-funny joke is on California’s students – and no one is laughing.

Though California voters have said time and again that funding our public schools should be a top priority, the latest round of cuts passed by state lawmakers and signed by the Governor, is instead severely shortchanging an entire generation of students. This is happening in a state that already ranks near dead last in the nation in per-pupil funding, has the largest class sizes and the fewest librarians, counselors and support staff of any state in the country.

And as the economy worsens, schools are being expected to provide even more social services to protect students from the cruel realities many face at home. Once again, schools are expected to be doing “more with less,” with so few resources left that they are stretched to the breaking point.

Below are just a few of the most recent examples of how school districts and students are trying to cope:

Sacramento Bee 3/31/09 As economy sinks, more schools doing social work

As the recession squeezes more Sacramento area families, school counselors, psychologists and teachers say children are feeling the pressures. And schools are increasingly being called upon to calm their anxieties, to counsel their parents and to help some families find places to live.

Chico Enterprise Record 3/31/09 High school district layoffs on agenda

The Oroville Union High School District board of trustees will decide on even more staff layoffs Wednesday at their board meeting at 6 p.m. at Prospect High School.

Associated Press 3/31/09 – PROMISES, PROMISES: Saving teacher jobs tough

Santa Ana, Calif. – English teacher Isa de Quesada is waiting to hear whether the stimulus dollars will bring her and 10 other teachers back to their school this fall. If not, class sizes at her school and others could swell, hurting the emphasis on quality education.

“Right now, I have 40 in two of my classes; we could go to 50 to 55 next year,” she said in an interview.

KQED 3/31/09 – State Subsidy for School Lunches Could Run Dry

Many low income families around the state depend on subsidized meals at school to feed their children. Between the start of the 2007 academic year and this one, that number jumped 12 percent. To cover the program, schools rely on a partial reimbursement from the state. But because of the surge in participation, that money will run out next month — if not sooner.

Fixing California’s problem of chronically underfunding our public schools will take a multi-pronged approach, starting with immediate distribution of the federal stimulus funds, passing Prop 1B on May 19th to restore $9 billion of the funds that have been cut, and then creating long-term, stable revenue solutions to ensure that we never again rank dead last in how much we invest in our students.

The Education Coalition represents more than 2.5 million teachers, parents, administrators, school board members, school employees and other education advocates in California. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.protectourstudents.org

California, like other states around the country, awaits billions in federal stimulus dollars that could partially mitigate the devastating impact of the state’s $11.6 billion in funding cuts to schools.

When the federal stimulus funds are made available to states at the end of this month, the Education Coalition calls upon Governor Schwarzenegger, his administration and the Legislature NOT to manipulate the spirit and intent of the federal stimulus legislation in order to circumvent paying California’s 6.3 million public school students the nearly $5 billion in federal funds they are due.

It is absolutely critical that these funds are distributed fully and immediately to the school districts and students who so badly need them.   Any scenario under which these funds are not paid in full to schools would be a breach of the public trust and would thwart the Obama Administration’s intent to use these federal taxpayer dollars to support public education.

Meanwhile, the catastrophic consequences of California’s chronic underfunding of our schools only continue to multiply: As of this week, more than 26,000 teachers and administrators have received pink slips, and more than 10,000 bus drivers, custodians, food service workers and support staff have already lost their jobs.

California earned the dubious ranking of 47th in the nation in per-pupil spending long before the state enacted a crushing $11.6 billion in cuts to public schools.  With this latest round of cuts, there’s little question that California now ranks dead last in the nation in per-pupil funding.

In the wealthiest state in the nation, in the seventh largest economy in the world, don’t our students deserve better than dead last?

We simply cannot continue to improve student learning and maintain high academic standards while funding for public schools is being decimated.  

To make matters worse, in a tough economy, schools are often one of the only safe places students can turn to for help – but with libraries closed, after-school programs shuttered, athletic programs on hold, arts, music and vocational education programs eliminated, classroom sizes swelling, and teachers, administrators and support staff dwindling, there are precious few resources left for our most vulnerable students.

It’s time for our state’s leaders to put down their shovels and stop digging a hole for California’s 6.3 million students.  California needs both short- and long-term solutions to our school funding crisis, including immediate distribution of the federal stimulus funds, and permanent, stable revenues to ensure that our state doesn’t remain dead last among the states in per-pupil funding.  

Talk is cheap – the time for action is now.   We simply cannot allow this hole to get any deeper.

Don't our students deserve better?

Whether you've got students in public schools, you're a college student who can't believe that our state's leaders would turn their backs on students, or you're just someone who cares about the future, it's time to join together and speak out against the worst cuts to public education in our state’s history. Please join in and participate in PINK FRIDAY activities on Friday, March 13th.

It’s time to stand up for California’s 6.3 million schoolchildren, and stand with the tens of thousands of teachers, administrators, custodians, bus drivers, food service workers, librarians, counselors and others working in public schools who are facing historic layoffs. The $11.6 billion in cuts to public schools means class sizes will swell, while arts, music, sports and after-school programs will be eliminated.

It means an entire generation of students will be shortchanged of the quality education they deserve. Participate in PINK FRIDAY if you think California’s students deserve better than 47th in the nation in per-pupil spending! Wear pink on Friday if you think it’s time to start investing in our shared future! Please visit www.pinkfriday09.org for more information.