| SIGN UP FOR EDUCATION ADVOCACY DAY |
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
There has never been a more critical time to make this trip.
California's budget problems have reached epic levels. The Governor and Legislature have proposed or discussed funding cuts to public education that would have devastating effects. In response, the Las Trampas Creek PTA Legislation Team conducted a letter campaign, which generated over 11,000 letters to the Governor and members of the Legislature. The letters promote taking a balanced approach of cuts and new revenues to the budget, with the intent of buffering the hit to public schools as much as possible.
Thanks to all who took the time during the peak of the holiday season to download and sign those letters. They were delivered to Sacramento, and already have made their impact. The feedback we received from our legislators while delivering letters, was to urge people to call the Governor's office this week.
Governor's office phone number: (916) 445-2841, Fax # (916) 558-3160
Keep your message simple: As a parent, with children in school, I urge the Governor to AVOID OR AT LEAST MINIMIZE EDUCATION FUNDING CUTS! We need to make education a priority, even in these hard times! Since they are counting calls to the Governor's office in support, or opposed to an issue, it's fine to keep it simple.
NOW IS THE TIME TO REINFORCE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ATTENDING EDUCATION ADVOCACY DAY. This annual trip is in its 29th year. Let's follow up the letter campaign with a large Advocacy Day turnout to reinforce the message that high quality public education is fundamental to California's long-term economic health and vitality. Trip includes bus transportation, materials, lunch and an optional tour through the Capitol. Download the flyer to sign-up by Jan. 30th, . Contact your school Legislative Representative for more information, or Leg. Team Co-Chairs, Sarah Butler (sarahgbutler@hotmail.com) or Diane Oshima (dyoshima@aol.com).
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| HERE'S WHAT WE SAID |
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The Las Trampas Legislation Team represents 27 schools in six districts, K-12, from Contra Costa County. We are frustrated and distressed over the current budget stalemate. The debates lack definition of State priorities to justify budget proposals. In our communities, public education is a top priority, a value which is shared among all Californians, as reflected in poll after poll. The proposed $5+ billion in education funding cuts will have crippling long-term effects on our kids, our competitive edge, our economic viability, and the social qualities that attract people and business to California.
Why does California need to reinvest in education?
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Since the 1960's, California has fallen from providing among the highest level of education funding, to within the bottom 20% of the nation. Then, California had the top-rated schools in the nation; performance has since fallen precipitously as education investment declined.
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All our schools are in "low wealth" districts, and are at the bottom of per-pupil funding in the State, based on bizarre and unaccountable funding formulas.
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The burden of high quality education has swung too far to relying on local funding sources. State funding received by our districts cover only 70-80% of costs. The rest has been raised through education foundations, parcel taxes and parent contributions. The current budget cut proposals will intensify pressure on local sources.
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If that is the reality, then the State should give districts more local control. For example, we support a change to the threshold for approving school parcel taxes to 55%.
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But, even so, many communities do not have the local funding capabilities needed to support high quality education. The state's dysfunctional and overly political budget and funding process has created districts that "have" and "have not", contributing in large part to the achievement gap that is undermining our economic competitiveness and well-being.
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The antiquated funding formulas are based on academic and curriculum needs of the 1970's. There has been no recalibration to the new skills and knowledge needed to address the problems and challenges that face our world today.
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Money is not the only need. We also need to institute education reforms. The Governor and Legislature have the information to tackle this in the Getting Down to Facts Studies, the most comprehensive research and analysis conducted by the greatest minds in education, completed in 2007. We can become more cost-effective in our education investments, but it will take hard work and dedicated effort over several years.
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California's success and economic power has been fueled by creativity and intellectual curiosity which has been supported and nurtured by our public schools and universities. With the same entrepreneurial spirit, we need to put back into those institutions to ensure a bright and healthy future. | |
