[img]332|left|Dr. Myrna Rivera Cote||no_popup[/img]
It is urgent that Legislators hear from the school community immediately. The Big 5 (the Governor and all four legislative leaders) are negotiating daily on a resolution to the state’s fiscal crisis.
The content of these discussions has been kept tightly under wraps, without most of the rest of the Legislature knowing the details of what is being discussed.
In the last couple of days, it has become apparent that on the table are further massive cuts to education – including mid-year cuts, temporary revenues and a spending cap that would be detrimental to the future of education.
Parents, teachers and the school community need to speak up — and loudly — about the impact of such proposals. We are asking you to call and write your legislators now. Remind them that:
1. Schools have already been cut $2.8 billion this year. The additional $9.7 billion cuts proposed for school districts will force much deeper cuts and have lasting and profound impacts on schools and students.
2. We need new revenues that are permanent. Adopting temporary revenues only pushes the state’s fiscal problems out a few years into the future and creates serious levels of destabilization for state and local budget planning.
3. Proposals to impose a “hard” cap on state spending would lock education funding in California at this abysmally inadequate level. Even the current fiscal crisis does not justify imposing a fiscal straight-jacket on efforts to restore funding for California’s children.
4. School districts need full flexibility — including class size reduction — to maximize local decision-making and allow districts to prioritize during the budget crisis.
Your help is needed immediately to stop the Legislature and Governor from approving a state budget that would enact measures that would lock education funding into perpetual mediocrity.
California already has some of the most overcrowded classrooms in the nation and the greatest shortages of librarians, counselors and other critical support staff. While we, as public school educators, have learned to do more with less, continuing to balance California’s budget with a cuts-only approach to education severely hurts children and schools.
I encourage you to contact our elected representative in Sacramento today. A simple phone call or an email will go a long way in reminding Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass (D-Culver City) how important adequate education funding is to the Culver City Unified School District community and to our state.
How to contact her:
Assemblymember Karen Bass
323.937.4747
Karen.bass@asm.ca.gov
Be sure to mention the specific points listed above or simply copy and insert your own contact information into the sample letter below:
Dear Assemblymember Bass,
As a member of the school community in your legislative district, I am asking you to reject proposals that severely jeopardize future funding for education.
My school district, Culver City Unified, has already been cut this year; and we are struggling with how to address the mid-year cuts that have already been proposed, as well as the additional cuts next year. As you consider any budget proposal, we implore you to consider the following:
• We need new revenues that are permanent. Adopting temporary revenues only pushes the state's fiscal problems out a few years into the future and creates serious levels of destabilization for state and local budget planning.
• Proposals to impose a “hard” cap on state spending would lock education funding in California at this abysmally inadequate level. Even the current fiscal crisis does not justify imposing such constraints on efforts to restore funding for California's children.
• School districts need full flexibility, including class-size reduction, to maximize local decision-making and allow districts to prioritize during the budget crisis.
Our students and schools did not create this budget problem. Fixing it should not come at the expense of their educational progress. Again, I urge you to reject any budget proposal that jeopardizes the future of education in California.
Sincerely,
[Insert your name and contact information here]
Thank you for taking time out of your day to join me and the Culver City School Board in moving quickly on this issue. Together, we can fight to protect school funding and make sure that the children of this fine school district continue to get the education they deserve.
Dr. Myrna Rivera Coté is Superintendent of the Culver City Unified School District
