As more details emerge about cuts proposed in Governor Schwarzenegger’s May Revision budget – including up to $5.4 billion in additional cuts to California’s public schools, on top of $11.6 billion in cuts already enacted – it has become painfully clear that our students are paying an unfair price for the state’s budget crisis.
Our students did not create this budget mess, and their education should not be shortchanged because of it. School districts across the state have already had to cut critical programs and services for students, increase class sizes, and lay off thousands of teachers, administrators and education support staff. Further cuts are simply unimaginable.
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 to addressing the needs of all students. We will continue to do so.
As part of the solution, the Education Coalition also supports Prop 1B on Tuesday’s statewide ballot. This proposition 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.
Without restoring the cuts, devastating layoffs of teachers and other educators continue to hurt our students:
Mt. Diablo school board votes to lay off more than 400 teachers
By Theresa Harrington, Contra Costa Times, 5/14/09
CONCORD — More than 400 final layoff notices for teachers in the Mt. Diablo school district will be mailed out by today.
"I'm sad," said Linda Ortega, a fourth-grade teacher at El Monte Elementary whose job is secure. "A lot of good teachers are going to be laid off and the kids have come to love these teachers."
249 valley teachers find themselves jobless - Districts each trim $8M; cuts equal bigger classes
By Michelle Mitchell, The Desert Sun 5/14/09
Justin Martin received the news he had been dreading Wednesday. The third-grade Indio teacher became one of 249 Coachella Valley teachers who lost or will lose their jobs this week because of millions of dollars in budget cuts.
The Desert Sands Unified trustees voted Tuesday to lay off Martin and 119 more teachers, or roughly 9 percent of its teaching staff.
The three valley school districts each face at least $8 million in cuts during this struggling economy because of an ongoing California budget crisis that could worsen on Tuesday if several state propositions fail.
The loss of the 249 teachers locally will lead to larger class sizes in valley schools this fall.
Sacramento area school districts consider second round of layoffs
By Diana Lambert, Sacramento Bee 5/15/09
School officials will be watching state budget revisions and the May 19 special election to decide whether to take advantage of a unique situation that allows them to issue more pink slips.
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.