CTA and representatives of the education community are redoubling their efforts to convince the governor and lawmakers to use at least 40 percent of anticipated general fund revenues to move California's per-pupil funding to at least the national average.
CTA and its Education Coalition partners are asking for at least $1 billion in ongoing, discretionary funding for the 2000-2001 budget year, as well as an appropriate amount of new 1999-2000 revenues.
The message is being reinforced by CTA's statewide mobilization, which includes a rally May 8 on the steps of the state Capitol.
In the meantime, CTA members are contacting lawmakers at their district offices to urge support of higher funding for schools.
The timing of the efforts by CTA and the Coalition is critical. During the second week in May, Gov. Gray Davis is expected to release the long-awaited revision of his budget proposal.
The revision, which will include updated revenue forecasts and spending proposals, could show the state has more than $6 billion and as much as $10 billion in revenues above the amounts projected in the governor's initial budget proposal in January.
CTA and the Education Coalition - which includes parents, teachers, school employees, school administrators, school board members, and other school support groups - have been urging lawmakers to follow the spirit of Proposition 98 by allocating at least 40 percent of the new revenues to public education.
Supporters have been emphasizing that to maximize performance, school districts need funding that is both ongoing and without strings.
Ongoing appropriations - funding that is part of the Proposition 98 education base - allow schools to commit to the long-term programs needed to achieve educational excellence.
Funds without strings - or "discretionary funding" - allow parents, teachers, school administrators and school boards to decide how best to use the appropriations to support educational excellence efforts at the local level.
CTA representatives are pointing out that the state has set world-class standards and that now is the time while California is enjoying record revenues - to devote the resources to help schools meet those standards.
The impending release of the May Revise will mark the beginning of the most intense budget negotiations of the year. Senate and Assembly committees have been reviewing and revising their versions of the governor's January proposals - SB 1344 by Sen. Steve Peace (D-Chula Vista) and AB 1740, by Assembly Member Denise Ducheny (D-Los Angeles) - for months. The release of the revision will accelerate their consideration.
Each house is required to revise and approve by a two-thirds' majority its budget bill. The final bills generally are routed to a conference committee made up of representatives from both houses charged with crafting a final version. That proposal then heads back to each house for approval and then on to the governor for his cuts and signature.
The state Constitution requires lawmakers to send the governor their final version by June 15. Under state law, the governor has until June 30 to make his changes and sign the final version into law. It is supposed to take effect at the beginning of new fiscal year, July 1.
In recent years, budget deadlines have been missed more often than met. Last year, the budget was out on time. Davis has pledged to meet the deadline again.
Len Feldman
