Calls for $963M Boost
Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell told members of a Senate Budget Committee last week that proposals to reduce school funding for 2003-2004 would derail the state's progress toward education excellence.
Instead, he urged lawmakers to increase public education funding by $963 million above the levels in Gov. Davis' proposed budget.
"I want you to know...that the education reforms you worked so hard to set in place are showing real results. Our children are learning at a higher level than ever before," O'Connell testified.
"We simply cannot allow hard times to erode the progress we've made...Even in these difficult times we have choices, and we must not choose a path that will lead us into an education recession," the state schools chief stressed.
"I firmly believe that the current deep cuts being considered for education simply cannot stand....We must restore funding above the proposed cuts in order to deliver on our promise of a high quality education for all of California's children," he said.
O'Connell called for maintaining revenue limit funding at current year levels to fund core programs and basic services.
He also called for caution in reforming the funding process for categorical programs. He cited Special Education, Adult Education, Regional Occupational Centers, class size reduction, and instructional materials as some programs that should be kept out of any block grant consolidation plans.