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En español: Asuntos
del
presupuesto: Educación |
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2003 issue of the Children's
Advocate, published by Action Alliance for Children.
Budget issues: Education
By Irene Moore
The governor's proposal
- Increase funding as enrollment increases-but spend $383 less per student
($6,684) than the '02-'03 budget ($7,067)
- Scrap the usual cost-of-living increase
- Combine 64 "categorical programs" into one block grant to
school districts-with about 11 percent less money than these programs
got in '02-'03. (In categorical programs, districts receive funds earmarked
for a particular purpose, for example, new books, programs for English
learners, reading specialists, music and art classes, mentor teachers,
sports, help for failing students, and more.)
The Republican proposal
- Cut education-and everything else-7 percent across-the-board.
Effects on local schools
- Some teachers would be laid off under either proposal-education officials
say the Republican proposal would mean laying off tens of thousands
of teachers.
- If categorical programs are combined in one block grant, districts
could decide which to cut. Already districts are voting on cuts to music,
libraries, sports, and more.
- The governor wants to continue special state funds for K-3 class-size
reduction-but some districts are already planning to drop the program
to save their share of the cost. And class sizes would likely increase
in higher grades.
Advocates' arguments
- "Programs for at-risk students are most likely to go,"
says Wayne John-son, California Teachers Association president. "Forty-seven
percent of Cal-ifornia's public school students are His-panic. Programs
aimed to help English Language Learners will suffer. Even-tually test
scores will drop and the dropout rate will increase."
- "We're going to have overcrowded classrooms and fewer teachers,"
says Gabriel Medel, organizer for Par-ents for Unity in Los Angeles.
"My class size could increase from 20 students to 25 or so,"
says Berkeley second-grade teacher Sam Fran-kel. "Less individual
time with students translates into lowered academic performance, especially
for high-needs students," he adds. PTA education lobbyist Cecelia
Mans-field adds, "Our number-one priority is to protect class-size
reduction. Research has shown that class-size reduction works, especially
for disadvantaged kids, since teachers can spend more time diagnosing."
- "Categorical funds lumped together into a block grant will
set up district battles," says Mary Bergan, California Federation
of Teachers president, "Counselors and nurses will become endangered
species."
- "I've already seen the effect of mid-year cuts on special
programs," says Redwood City sixth-grade teacher Brenda Whitla.
"Last year we had several special events like a Shakespeare performance;
this year no such programs are planned. They're also not paying for
teachers to go to conferences." Frankel adds, "The cost to
buy enough [supplies] for more students could come out of my pocket-I
already spend between $1,500 and $2,000 a year for classroom materials.
Many families would choose to leave public education. The effect of
all of this on morale could be devastating."
- "These cuts will directly affect parent involvement,"
says Medel. "Fewer resources will be available for parent participation.
Right now we are training parents to look at the budget and see how
money is allocated so they can advocate for keeping cuts away from the
classroom."
To learn more/get involved, contact:
- California State PTA, 213-620-1100, capta.org
- California Teachers Association, 650-697-1400, www.cta.org
- California Federation of Teachers, 510-832-8812, www.cft.org
- Californians for Smaller Class Sizes, Brandon Castillo, 916-443-0872
- EdVoice (statewide advocacy group), 916-448-3868, www.edvoice.org
- EdSource (impartial information about California education), 650-857-9604,
www.edsource.org
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