Julie White, Asst Exec Director, Association of California School Administrators, Office 916-329-3832, Cell 916-225-8144, jwhite@acsa.org
SACRAMENTO - With school funding already cut to the core, representatives of the Education Coalition today called on the Governor to uphold his campaign promise to protect public education from further budget cuts. They also urged the Legislature to adopt and send a budget to the Governor that includes a continuation of the temporary tax revenues and makes schools a priority.
The need for such a budget constitutes a true emergency, as schools must adopt their own balanced budget before July 1.
Education Coalition representatives highlighted the Governor’s ongoing pledge to protect K-12 schools from harmful state budget cuts in recognition of the disproportionate cuts schools have been forced to take in recent years. The Coalition also highlighted lawmakers’ responsibility to provide schools the level funding required under voter-approved Proposition 98, which according to the May Revision is $52.4 billion. More than 140 school districts already are in financial jeopardy, and many more districts will be unable to sustain their programs for students without a balanced budget that protects education funding.
“Our schools are in a state of emergency,” said David A. Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Association. “Our teachers, students and entire education communities deserve better, and they’ve been calling on the Governor and lawmakers for months to protect students, schools and colleges from further cuts. The Governor promised to make schools and students a priority in the state budget and to protect them from further cuts. We expect him and all lawmakers to uphold that promise.”
"Without a balanced budget soon, many of our schools will be out of cash and unable to provide the education every child deserves,” said Jo Loss, president of the California State PTA.
“We won't stand by as the school year gets even shorter. We won't stand by as more school libraries close. We won't stand by as more students are crowded into each classroom. We won't stand by as we lose counselors, classroom aides and reading specialists. The Governor and legislators have pledged that education is a top priority and that they will protect schools and students from further cuts. We expect them to uphold that promise.”
“The level of budget uncertainty that school districts have been forced to operate within is disastrous,” said Alice Petrossian, president of the Association of California School Administrators. “It’s clear that voters want to protect school funding from further cuts and the Governor made that same commitment in his campaign and he has reiterated it for months now. Schools need and deserve a balanced state budget so students will know with certainty the programs and services available for 2011-12.”
“In the face of dwindling resources, teachers, administrators, and classified employees have worked heroically to maintain quality programs and services to our students,” said Martha Fluor, president of the California School Boards Association. “So far, those efforts have paid off in still-rising student performance outcomes. But we have reached the end of the rope. By the end of this month, school districts across the state are required to pass their local balanced budgets, and they must know what resources will be available to them in order to do so. We need to stop the cuts to our schools with a balanced state budget for 2011-12.”
Further cuts would have a devastating impact on our schools and colleges,” said Allan Clark, president of the California School Employees Association. “It would do irreparable harm to California’s economy if we closed more computer labs, more summer school programs, more libraries and, worst of all, more schools. The temporary tax extensions are the best way to stabilize education funding right now, and we urge the Legislature to approve them and we call on the Governor to continue to uphold his commitment to our schools and students.”