State of the State: CSBA warns against cuts in education

CSBA officials were cautious in their response to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's State of the State Address, welcoming the governor's recognition of progress on some public education issues but warning against any plans to cut school funding to deal with the state's budget problems.

“Cuts to schools in the middle of the fiscal year, when the public school year is nearly half over, are unrealistic and unacceptable,” CSBA President Paul H. Chatman declared. “Teachers are in the classroom, bus drivers are transporting children to and from school, and school personnel are serving students and parents at all levels.

“Nationwide, California remains at the bottom of per-pupil funding, while at the same time we have the nation’s highest academic standards. To make additional cuts in this environment simply does not add up."

Schwarzenegger will release his 2008-09 budget proposal Thursday and is expected to declare a fiscal emergency entailing cuts to current spending.

“We look forward to the details of the proposed budget and continuing a conversation with Gov. Schwarzenegger that began in November," when the governor met with CSBA and other education leaders during an unscheduled summit at CSBA's Annual Education Conference in San Diego, Chatman said.

"CSBA wants very much to contribute to solutions to the current fiscal crisis, but at the same time call upon the governor and legislature to put all options on the table. Until this happens, developing an honest and long-term solution to this crisis will not be possible.”

NCLB and program improvement

Schwarzenegger devoted most of his State of the State Address to the state's budget troubles, turning to education issues three-quarters of the way through his 25-minute speech. Although he had announced his intention last year to launch a "Year of Education" in 2008, the phrase was absent from his prepared text.

He praised continuing progress in K-12 education, however, noting that "The number of high school students taking advanced math and science courses has increased by 53 percent since 2003. And that, by the way, is terrific for our high‑tech future."

But the governor also acknowledged continuing challenges, especially under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. He said he wants California to become the first state to wield its authority under NCLB to make several low-performing schools "models of reform."

Ninety-eight school districts are now in their third year of program improvement status under NCLB. The federal law requires the state to impose one of seven remedial actions on those districts. However, state Secretary of Education Dave Long has said that only a handful of those need state-approved assistance with their governance.

CSBA Executive Director Scott P. Plotkin puts the number of districts involved at five or six and looks forward to seeing details of the plan. "Based on what I am hearing it may be something we feel pretty good about," Plotkin told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I haven't seen any details yet."

An administration briefing paper says that California is currently setting aside $29 million a year in federal funds for PI districts, but the governor reportedly plans to propose more.

Related link:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger now has a State of the State Web site, with the complete text of his address, video blogs and a pull-down menu of key issues—education, budget reform and his strategic growth plan—@ http://gov.ca.gov/sots/2008.