Educators Optimistic, Cautious

January 7, 2010

Education needs to be a priority in California, according to the governor, but local officials are cautious to celebrate the statement before the budget plan is revealed Friday.

It’s all about priorities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his annual State of the State yesterday. And California needs to prioritize education despite facing a $20 billion deficit. The ideas drew optimism from local education leaders but also generated questions about making those priorities a reality.

“Because our future economic well-being is so dependent upon education, I will protect education funding in this budget. And we can no longer afford to cut higher education either. The priorities have become out of whack over the years,” Schwarzenegger said.

Prioritizing education was welcomed by local officials, however all wondered how funding it could be achieved.

“The point for me that made the most sense is the investment of the future,” said Scott Laurence, superintendent of the San Mateo Union High School District. “… The idea that we need to invest in the future in the state, if we don’t do it now, it’s lost. We’ll never recoup that. It’s going to be challenging.

How are you going to real ize your values in your budget? That’s the interesting thing to me.”

School districts were hit hard last year by massive state budget cuts, many of which were not clear until the spring. Even if cuts stay away from education, schools will be affected, said Laurence. Mental health and police services are examples of organizations that partner with districts. A cut to those budgets will create a burden on schools, he said.

Pat Gemma, superintendent of the Sequoia Union High School District, was cautiously optimistic about the local impact given the governor’s speech. Sequoia had planned to cut $3.4 million for its upcoming budget based on last year’s state budget. If the state keeps education funding as is, that plan will remain.

Even at that level, Gemma noted the district is currently educating more students with less money than it was in previous years. This difficulty does not compare to smaller feeder districts.

Last year, the Redwood City Elementary School District made over $6 million in cuts. This was a number that could have been larger, double digits larger, but was held at bay with one-time stimulus funds.

Superintendent Jan Christensen was encouraged by the governor’s speech but anxious to see the budget proposal. The district was planning for over $8 million in cuts next year if the state called for mid-year cuts and reductions in the coming year. Without these additional reductions, Redwood City is looking at $4.7 million in losses.

Like Sequoia, Redwood City is already working with less money. It is working with the same amount of money as it had in 2005-06 with over 1,000 more children, said Christensen.

Cou nty Superintendent Jean Holbrook was encouraged by Schwarzenegger’s advocating for the preservation of education funding.

“Education has endured draconian cuts in recent years and we must reverse that trend if we are to implement in California the educational reforms — those found in Race to the Top being the most prominent — the president is calling for on a national level,” Holbrook said.

Education funding, while already confusing, will become more difficult this year. Local districts will lose one-time federal funds while the state and 14 local school districts and the County Office of Education apply in hopes of receiving federal Race to the Top funds. The California Legislature passed education reform bills to make California eligible to compete for the federal money. Schwarzenegger vowed to quickly approve it.

Schwarzenegger also called for a need to create jobs in California, something in which education will play an important part, said Holbrook. She was interested to see the actual budget proposal expected to be released Friday, but noted many county programs — such as the regional occupational program and career/technical training programs at secondary schools and community colleges — will be important in achieving this goal.