Governor's Budget Continues to Invest in CA Education
May Revision Includes Investments in LCFF, Deferrals, CalSTRS and Internet Connectivity
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The California School Boards Association (CSBA) is pleased by today’s news that Governor Brown’s
May Revision will continue to invest in California’s K-12 schools, including the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), deferrals, CalSTRS and high speed internet access.
The May Revision maintains the Administration’s commitment to LCFF by allocating $4.5 billion for second-year implementation, eliminating more than 28 percent of the remaining funding gap. It was also announced that schools participating in Provision 2 or 3 of the National School Lunch Program are authorized to establish base-year student eligibility for free or reduced-price meal eligible student counts, and will be allowed to revise three-year rolling average unduplicated student enrollment percentage to use 2014-15 data in place of 2013-2014.
“We are pleased with the continued commitment and investment in LCFF to move all districts to their LCFF targets so school district and county leaders and board members can invest in programs to achieve academic success,” said Josephine Lucey, CSBA president and a board member in the Cupertino Union School District. “We are also encouraged that the Governor is maintaining the integrity of Proposition 98, addressed the challenges in accounting for unduplicated pupils for LCFF, and recognized the need to invest in improving internet connectivity.”
The May Revise also included an increase of $26.7 million for the K-12 High Speed Network to provide technical assistance and grants to local educational agencies to address the technology requirements necessary for successful Common Core implementation. “The modest investment is a step in the right direction in expanding high-speed internet access for those most in need, but we recognize there’s a greater need for additional investments so districts can be successful in implementing Common Core,” said Lucey.
The early repayment of inter-year budgetary deferrals will be made possible by a net increase of $742.2 million in one-time Proposition 98 General Fund attributable to the 2012-2013 and 2013-14 fiscal years. “We continue to support the Governor’s original plan to pay off deferrals over two years, as this would create the availability of one-time funds to be used in 2014-2015 for local educational agencies to implement the Common Core State Standards. CSBA will continue to advocate for greater investment in activities to support successful implementation of Common Core and in improved funding for home to school transportation.”
The Administration will increase the overall contribution by $450 million in additional funding for CalSTRS, to help put it on a sustainable path and eliminate the unfunded liability in 30 years. “We appreciate the Governor recognizing the need to shore up CalSTRS in the near future, including increased contribution from state employers and teachers, however this increase could impact future increases in overall education funding which cries out for a need to discuss the adequacy of school funding,” Lucey said.
“Overall, this budget proposal demonstrates Governor Brown’s commitment to public education, however CSBA will continue to advocate that there needs to be a sustained investment in California’s education system to advance the education and well-being of our schools and students,” added Lucey.
About CSBA
The California School Boards Association (CSBA) is the non-profit education association representing the elected officials who govern public school districts and county offices of education. With a membership of nearly 1,000 educational agencies statewide, CSBA brings together school district governing boards and county boards of education to advocate for effective policies that advance the education and well-being of the state’s more than 6 million school-age children. CSBA provides policy resources and training to members, and represents the statewide interests of public education through legal, political legislative, community and media advocacy.