Governor's Budget Proposal Favorable to K-12 Education
Fight For Improved School Funding Continues Despite Fiscal Gains
WEST SACRAMENTO – The California School Boards Association celebrated the news today that K-12 education will receive needed fiscal relief in the Governor's 2013-14 budget proposal, which was released earlier today. Since 2008, K-12 school districts have lost more than $20 billion in funding cuts and deferrals, forcing school districts to cut programs and services to students, freeze hiring, and layoff teachers and other campus staff. Today's budget, per CSBA's President Cindy Marks, is "a move in the right direction to restoring funding to K-12 school districts."
"We applaud the Governor's intent to restore K-12 funding to 2007-08 levels," Marks explained. "Yet, we also acknowledge that our schools still rank nearly dead last compared to other states in per-pupil funding. Adequate yearly funding is essential to sustaining a world-class public education system. We are encouraged by many of the initial budget provisions and look forward to working with the Governor and his staff to ensure our schools receive the funds they need to provide a quality education to students."
According to CSBA CEO Vernon M. Billy, one of the strengths of the budget proposal is the stress it places on local governance. "We applaud the Governor's continued recognition that effective governance begins with local control. His proposal places decision-making about resource allocation in the right hands – elected school board members who are better suited than the state to make decisions that are in the best interest of the students and communities they serve." Billy also gave kudos to the Governor for his efforts to begin to reform K-12 financing. "We look forward to working with the Governor and his staff in learning more about his new funding formula. We appreciate the intent. We support the Governor's interest in establishing a more simplistic, transparent system that ensures adequate yearly funding for all school districts," Billy said.
In the weeks ahead, CSBA will be learning more about the budget provisions and its implication for schools. But for now, the climate appears to be positive. "Schools have taken a beating in each budget cycle since the onset of the recession. It's great to see funding returning – albeit even if it is incremental. The Governor knows that funding K-12 education is a sound investment in the future of our state," Billy added.
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.