Governor's Budget Invests $6 Billion in CA Education
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California School Boards Association (CSBA) welcomed the news that Governor Brown’s proposed budget for 2014-2015 fiscal year invests more than $6 billion in new money to K-12 schools.
“This is positive and much needed news for California’s schools and students,” said Josephine Lucey, CSBA president and a board member in the Cupertino Union School District. “This major investment will help move more school districts towards full restoration of pre-recession funding levels, providing school district leaders and board members the opportunity to restore and invest in programs that best serve its students to achieve academic success.”
The budget proposal includes a continued investment in the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), eliminating all apportionment deferrals and increasing per-pupil Proposition 98 spending. “This sends a strong signal to local governing boards that the state will remain committed to the implementation of the new funding formula,” Lucey added.
CSBA will continue to work with the governor and Legislature on a school construction bond for the November ballot. “We feel that the state needs to remain involved in the financing of school construction and modernization, and recognize that the state process can be simplified,” Lucey said.
CSBA will also work to secure an additional investment in implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Additional funding is required, as $1.2 billion was allocated to assist governing boards with the more than $3.1 billion in estimated start-up costs, according to the California Department of Education.
“Overall, this budget proposal demonstrates Governor Brown’s commitment to public education and that it is a top priority,” said Lucey. “We will continue to need a sustained investment in California’s education system to advance the education and well-being of our schools and students.”
About CSBA
The California School Boards Association (CSBA) is the non-profit education association representing the elected officials who govern public school districts and county offices of education. With a membership of nearly 1,000 educational agencies statewide, CSBA brings together school governing boards, and district and county office administrators to advocate for effective policies that advance the education and well-being of the state’s more than 6 million school-age children. CSBA provides policy resources and training to members, and represents the statewide interests of public education through legal, political legislative, community and media advocacy.