Getting Back on My Soap Box: Wake Up California!
Awhile back I got up on my soap box, well I’m getting back on it one more time… On May 24th at 7AM I’m going to be standing at a busy intersection in downtown Lafayette with my two kids, all of us in our pajamas. Why? Read on to find out…
The state of California is a mess, our budget is unbalanced and our social services, parks and most importantly (to me) our education system is paying the price.
Just take a look at this chart:
Basically California is almost dead last in just about every category.
No bueno.
How did we get here?
Well… that’s complicated and tricky. I’m still not sure I get it 100% and my head is spinning from trying to understand it all. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s view to help us see the trees through the forest, for that I recommend the April 2011 issue of the Economist. They dedicated a whole issue to the state of California and its current crises. A good read.
Source: The Economist
In a nutshell we’ve made our state’s democratic system so complicated and voted in so many initiatives and propositions that the government does not function efficiently. The very propositions that were voted into legislation, namely Props 98 and 13 now limit the efficacy of the system. The money for CA schools comes from the state and each school district gets an amount based on a formula of how many students are enrolled and which extra programs they run. It’s all VERY complicated and cumbersome. Take my word on it.
Currently the California legislators are working with the Governor’s May Revise budget proposal and trying to pass the budget by June 15th. In the May Revise, the state realized that there was going to be an extra $6.4 billion in unexpected revenues to the state. Nice windfall hunh? As the tax filing deadline of April 15th passed, it became apparent that there was an increase in personal income taxes, mostly due to gains via Wall Street. All money that the state had not anticipated. From this sum, $2.7 billion of these tax revenues will be allocated to K-14 schools. YIPPEEE! Right?! NOT SO FAST!!!
Good news… BUT AND A VERY BIG BUT HERE, we are not out of the woods. That almost $3 billion basically offsets an existing deficit, it does not go towards future programs or developing our system to meet future needs. If additional revenues are not introduced, via tax extensions or other sources, the education system will continue to fall behind. Take for example one of the ways schools will have to make ends meet with the new budgets: cut the school from 180 days to 169 days, dropping a WHOLE MONTH of school!!!
Totally unacceptable. Especially when you factor in how the schools are operating today… They are already in trouble.
While the funding issue is definitely at the forefront there is also the inherent composition of the California school system that makes it a challenge only compounded by money issues. With over 6.2 million students in over 10,000 schools, that’s a million more than Florida and New York combined, it is a diverse population that comes with its own set of challenges.
- More than half of CA students are Hispanic/Latino
- Almost half qualify for free/price reduced meals
- 25% are English learners
- The highest proportion of children with a parent who is not a high school graduate
- Schools range in size from 20 students to +680,000
A challenging environment for educators to address before you start compressing their calendar and reducing the number of administrators and other support programs.
The school system needs STABLE, CONSISTENT FUNDING so that educators can address the challenges they currently have and continue to develop their curriculum to meet the needs of the future.
California should not be dead last in the rankings. We should not accept that.
So what can YOU do?
Well one of three things:
1) On Tuesday, May 24th, attend one of +20 rallies that are planned all across the state and say Wake Up California! Come together with parents, teachers, students, and administrators to draw attention to the crises facing our education system and demand sustainable funding going forward. Click the logo below to find a rally location near you.
2) If you can’t make it to a rally for various reasons, then you should sign the virtual rally here at iPetitions.
And 3)
At the very least, support your teachers and your schools in any way you can. A special thank you goes a long way.
Remember stay informed! This is our children’s future here.
Ok I am getting off my soap box, but only temporarily…
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