California School Boards Association Responds to State Budget Agreement

The following statement was released by the California School Boards Association

West Sacramento, Calif. – California lawmakers approved a budget package today that suspends Proposition 98, the State’s minimum education funding guarantee, and once again shortchanges students.

In past years, lawmakers have willingly reduced education funding when declining revenues led to a decrease in the Prop. 98 minimum guarantee. Now that the guarantee would actually increase this year’s funding requirement, the legislature voted to suspend the guarantee and provide schools $4.3 billion less than they are owed under the constitution.

While there are good things in this budget, such as the restoration of the child care and revenue limit cuts, there is concern that these victories won’t hold up for long. This budget is about short-term gain and long-term pain. Not only does it include future corporate tax breaks, resulting in a decline in general revenue, but it increases the use of deferrals to borrow from next year to pay for this year’s education programs. Once again, California lawmakers did not fix the structural imbalance of our State budget and failed to put into place new and permanent revenues that ensure funding for essential public programs. Instead, this budget relies heavily on one-time revenues and hoped-for federal funds which are highly suspect. 

For more information from the California School Boards Association, please contact Brittany McKannay at (916) 669-3244.