VantagePoint: 2006 will focus on adequate school funding 

What a difference a year makes. Or maybe I should say, what a difference a special election can make.

As I read Kerry Clegg’s article in Vantage Point last month, I sat back and reflected on the past year. What a shock it was last January when the members of the Education Coalition were invited to meet with the governor’s staff, only to learn that the budget agreement we struck with the governor in 2004 was to be abandoned. That set in motion a yearlong battle over the budget and the survival of Proposition 98.

The negative impact of our budget woes was headlined in the August edition of California School News: “Schools in worst financial shape ever; budget will worsen situation.” The article explained that an increasing number of districts are using their reserves to fund daily operations. A report released by State Controller Steve Westly found that “for the first time in more than a decade total school district general fund expenditures exceeded revenues with 522 districts spending more than they took in.” Five hundred twenty two — that is more than half the districts in the state. And we will all continue to struggle through this exceedingly difficult school year.

Of course, the special election in November brought the voice of the voters into the dialogue concerning school funding. The people of California support their schools and the children of this state. They want to see schools properly funded.

The governor claims to have heard the voters. Indeed, his attitude and budget are very different this year. This year’s budget does include an increase in educational funding but still does not honor the budget agreement. The governor proposes to restore $1.7 billion to school funding in 2006-07, but by not providing it in 2004-05 the governor has lowered the Proposition 98 base for this year and next. And his budget ignores the fact that the state still owes schools over $3 billion.

This, of course, is only the first step in the budget process. The governor has expressed an interest in maintaining an open dialogue with the members of the educational community. There is much work to do before a final budget is passed for 2006-07. CSBA, along with the rest of the Education Coalition, will be at the forefront of the budget discussions that will take place with the governor and members of the Legislature. It will take more than the governor’s current proposal to begin to restore much-needed resources to our schools. California has been at the bottom of the per-pupil funding charts for too long.

I look forward to working with all of you in the coming year. Together we will take on the challenges that face our schools. Together we will create a brighter future for the more than 6 million schoolchildren of California.