This is my fifth essay for 2006, and the second one about the state budget that just passed and was signed by the Governor. This essay will discuss the 06-07 K-12 education budget. My last essay described the general outline of the 06-07 budget.
Overall K-12 spending
The 06-07 budget includes $55 billion in Prop 98 spending combined for K-12 and Community Colleges. Prop 98 was an initiative that required a basic level of spending for K-14 schools. The amount proposed for 06-07 is more than a 10% increase over last year for K-12 and 13% for Community Colleges. This funding level is almost $600 million above the Prop 98 minimum guarantee (it might be more depending on the outcome of a lawsuit outlined below). This includes $426 million for the (Schwarzenegger-sponsored) Prop 49 for after school programs, which was required in the initiative to kick in when the state budget revenues would go up by a certain percent.
Ongoing Spending Impacts
•Where 05-06 had a per-pupil spending level (for K-12) of $7,777, 06-07 spends $8,244 per pupil.
• The budget includes $975 million for school districts to educate economically disadvantaged and English learning students, with a slightly revised formula to remedy historic inequities between some of the districts.
•The budget includes an additional $200 million for counselors for students in grades 7-12. One of the trailer bills requires, as a condition for getting these funds, that districts develop a course plan to assist low-performing 7th grade students and high school students who have not passed the exit exam.
•The budget includes a new block grant to provide districts with supplemental funding to hire staff and purchase supplies for standards-aligned instruction in arts and music.
•The budget raises child care income eligibility levels to 75% of current state median income, providing $67 million for additional subsidized child care slots.
•The budget puts in $50 for expanded pre-school but leaves the details to a bill still going through the legislature.
Expenditures of One-Time Funds
•Almost a billion dollars in one time funds will go to pay mandated money related to prop 98 minimums that were not met in prior years.
•$584 million will be provided to districts and schools to use for one-time purposes: instructional materials, maintenance, professional development, fiscal obligations, 25% to districts and 75% directly to school sites.
•$500 million will go to school districts on a per-pupil basis for supplies and equipment for art, music and physical education.
•$137 million for emergency repairs as required by the opinion in Williams v. California.
•$100 million distributed to school districts on a per-pupil basis for instructional materials, library materials and one-time technology costs.
Vetoes
The Governor vetoed $37.8 million which we passed to increase the per meal reimbursement rate for the child nutrition program, saying he wanted to tie the money to nutritional quality in a later bill. We’ll have to make sure it passes.
The Big Lawsuit
In 2004-5, the Governor “suspended” Prop 98 so the budget didn’t have to fund the schools at the level required by that initiative. Because of that reduction and its impact on subsequent years, a lawsuit was filed by the education community claiming a $3.6 million dollar shortfall. The Governor has proposed to pay some of that back over seven years, and legislation to implement any agreed upon settlement will be considered by the legislature in August.
The 06-07 budget, however, reflects full funding had everything been paid back.
What Does It All Mean?
We’re still below the “median” in per pupil spending and way down on the accomplishment ladder compared to most other states. However, we are spending a healthy amount of the budget on K-12 education and the ongoing tiff relates to whether to tie school districts’ hands about where the money should go (counselors, arts and music, libraries) or just let them do their own budgets and go their own ways by defining their own needs.
Next: The Budget and Higher Education
