Thanks to grassroots campaign work by teachers, California's students were the big winners in the March 2 primary election.
Voters approved Proposition 55, the $12.3 billion school construction and repair bond, and voted yes on Propositions 57 and 58 to prevent deeper budget cuts to public schools.
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At its annual reception for legislators, CTA officers and leaders take the opportunity to explain the many reasons to support Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget proposal for education: CTA President Barbara E. Kerr with Assembly Member Judy Chu; CTA Secretary-Treasurer Dean E. Vogel with Senator John Vasconcellos; CTA Vice President David A. Sanchez with Assembly Member Ron Calderon; Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi with CTA Board member Lloyd Porter and Associated Chino Teachers President Don Bridge.
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"California voters again showed their support for public education and their willingness to invest in the future of our kids and our state," says CTA President Barbara E. Kerr. "It was a close vote, and teachers made the difference. The passage of Prop. 55 completes a two-year goal by CTA to provide funding to repair run-down schools and colleges, and give our students and teachers the facilities they deserve."
Overall, CTA chapters made a strong impact in numerous election races. At press time, one quick gauge of success was that chapters that sought CTA funds won 19 out of 25 local bond or parcel tax elections.
Prop. 55 is the second half of the state school bond program that began with the passage of Proposition 47, the $13 billion bond approved by voters in 2002.
Prop. 55 will provide $10 billion for K-12 school repairs; $920 million for community colleges; $690 million for California State University facilities; and $690 million for University of California campuses.
"Our victory means local school districts can get the state matching funds they need to keep our schools improving," Kerr says. "This win will help provide the facilities to reduce class sizes and give our kids the one-on-one attention they need."
Teachers were the best messengers in CTA's Prop. 55 campaign and took part in numerous news conferences, editorial board meetings and television ads during the short, intense campaign.
Terri Jackson, president of the 1,900-member United Teachers of Richmond, appeared in a television ad airing in the Bay Area about urgent school repair needs. The needs were made even more real when a heavy storm hit the area in February, and Jackson got a call from a local teacher in a leaking classroom.
"The water was coming down her wall," Jackson says. "The needs for Prop. 55 are real. We still have heating problems in our district, too."
Kerr says teachers are also pleased that voters approved Props. 57 and 58.
"The passage of the Economic Recovery Bond and the Balanced Budget Act will help protect our schools from additional, severe state budget cuts," Kerr says. "It also means that local school districts have no reason now to enact midyear program cuts or teacher layoffs."
The defeat of Proposition 56, which would have reduced from two-thirds to 55 percent the vote required by the Legislature to pass the state budget, was the dark spot of the election.
"Prop. 56 would have provided some much-needed structural reform to the state budget process and guaranteed that the state budget is passed on time. Students and school districts suffer when the state budget is late," Kerr says.
"CTA will continue to fight for legislative reforms to help end the partisan gridlock in Sacramento."
Mike Myslinski