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COLA, Community Schools Win in Gov. Newsom’s Revised Budget

California Teachers Association (CTA) President E. Toby Boyd issued a media statement on Friday, May 12, 2023, addressing Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal. Here is an excerpt:

“Governor Newsom maintains his commitment to protecting the historic $4 billion investment in developing and expanding Community Schools. We are proud of the transformational work educators are doing across the state. Many school districts are already well along the path to successful implementation of this thriving shared-leadership model, a school governance model that includes parents, educators, students, and community members working together to better meet the needs of students and families.”

-CTA President E. Toby Boyd

Lawmakers are Discussing the State Budget and Need to Hear from Educators

This is the time of year when the governor and the legislature are discussing the state budget and will be finalizing it in June.
It’s extremely important that they hear from you specifically about funding priorities they must protect. Tell them to ensure the finalized state budget maintains California’s commitment to students, educators and communities.

Dial Your CA State Legislators

Please call your Senator at: 1-877-959-1867
And your Assemblymember at: 1-888-724-8903

Urge them to protect investments in public education.

Summary Memos

Read a summary of the Governor’s educational proposals in the CTA Governmental Relations Budget Memos:

And check out bargaining implications in the Center for Organizing and Bargaining Budget Memo:

More Resources below: 

Proposition 98: What You Should Know

Passed by California voters in 1988, Proposition 98 sets a minimum funding guarantee for public education. That amount can vary slightly from year to year but is usually around 40 – 41 percent. Learn more via EdSource.

School Finance: Addressing Inequities

A large share of our K-12 students are English learners or from low-income families, costing more to educate. The Local Control Funding Formula provides a base grant for all students and supplemental and concentration grants for these students. 

California Budget Project reviews Local Control Funding Formula  

Local Control Funding Formula and the State Budget

When Governor Jerry Brown proposed the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) in 2013, he said “Equal treatment for children in unequal situations is not justice.” CTA continues to advocate for justice for all students in our budget process and through the local control funding formula. CTA believes: 

  • State and federal government should provide adequate funding for education in order for school districts to fulfill the goals of providing a quality education and necessary resources to meet the individual needs of all students. 
  • Students with the greatest needs (English language learners, foster youth and low-income students) require additional resources to achieve the state’s academic standards. That is why when it was first implemented during the 2013-14 school year, the CTA State Council of Education adopted its Budget Principles that define support for the LCFF based on equal funding for students most in need, restoration of the deficit factor, an annual cost-of-living adjustment while the formula is being implemented over a period of several years, and full funding for K-3 Class Size Reduction Program. 
  • Funding must be based on enrollment and that quantifiable data is consistently applied and publicly available.  

CTA continues to advocate for additional, ongoing funding for the LCFF as stated in the most recently-adopted CTA Budget Principles for 2019-20. 

Learn more about the Local Control Funding Formula.