[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) statewide survey released today showed that the majority of Californians rank education as a top priority, and that they want to protect schools from budget cuts. The poll also shows that parents believe schools are not currently receiving enough funding -- further demonstrating that the Governor’s proposed $4.8 billion in cuts to schools and students is out of sync with the values and priorities of most Californians.

Below are excerpts from some of the PPIC findings.

Education is a top priority for most Californians:

"Education continues to rate high on Californians’ list of the major issues facing the state."

Californians don’t want to cut schools:

"Californians agree that K-12 education is the major spending area they most want to protect from state budget cuts and are concerned that the state’s budget gap will cause significant spending cuts."

Californians believe more money would help public schools:

"A majority of residents agree that additional state funding would lead to higher quality K-12 education (63%)."

There's more...

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Peter Schrag

Old news: Like most other major state programs, California's public universities and colleges are up against devastating budget cuts in the coming year, and probably longer. Those cuts will drive up fees, force larger classes and eliminate courses, services and programs.

What's new is the increasing certainty among a growing number of people that the funding compacts the universities made with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during the last fiscal crisis put them on a long-term downward trajectory that will continue to erode quality, limit access and permanently damage what for decades was the nation's premier system of public higher education.

In the view of one of those people, professor Stanton Glantz, a researcher at the UC medical school in San Francisco and former chair of UC's faculty Committee on Planning and Budget, the compacts were "a giant political blunder."

The agreements promised long-term fiscal stability in return for short-term cuts. In fact, they cut UC's base funding in the expectation that the university would make up the difference in student fees and private contributions. But Glantz says the gap is too great: "You can't fundraise your way out of it."

The only alternative, absent more state funding, would be enormous fee increases.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

I cry every time I think that, come June, I will be replaced by another teacher

By Marisa Almada

My name is Marisa Almada, and I am a fully credentialed teacher with a certification to teach students learning English, a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education, and I am "highly qualified" under the No Child Left Behind Act. I am a proud graduate of Whittier High School and of the University of California, San Diego. My education is a testament to the excellence of California's public schools and universities. This is my sixth year of service to my district and I received a letter from the district recently telling me that I will be laid off next year due to state budget cuts.

I came to my school six years ago, and instantly loved the warm and generous families that call Pico Rivera home. I made deep connections with the staff and students of my school. My district invested thousands of dollars in my professional development, which I reinvest back into my students daily. I gave generously of my time, energy, and money to ensure that my classroom is a happy, stimulating place for children to learn.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

I cry every time I think that, come June, I will be replaced by another teacher

By Marisa Almada

My name is Marisa Almada, and I am a fully credentialed teacher with a certification to teach students learning English, a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education, and I am "highly qualified" under the No Child Left Behind Act. I am a proud graduate of Whittier High School and of the University of California, San Diego. My education is a testament to the excellence of California's public schools and universities. This is my sixth year of service to my district and I received a letter from the district recently telling me that I will be laid off next year due to state budget cuts.

I came to my school six years ago, and instantly loved the warm and generous families that call Pico Rivera home. I made deep connections with the staff and students of my school. My district invested thousands of dollars in my professional development, which I reinvest back into my students daily. I gave generously of my time, energy, and money to ensure that my classroom is a happy, stimulating place for children to learn.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

Former Speaker of the U.S. House Thomas “Tip” O’Neill used to say that “all politics is local.”

This has never been more evident than what we are starting to see in our newspapers, on local television, and on the streets and campuses of communities throughout California on cuts to education. Cuts that start with the state and are seen in the cancellation of school programs and pink slips being handed out to teachers--from the Napa Valley to the Coachella Valley, in urban and rural districts, have led to walkouts and political action taken by students, some of whom are waving signs from street corners to honking passing motorists who are showing signs of support. Students, parents, and others who vote are showing up at local board of education meetings. Californians are now showing up in Sacramento on the steps of the Capitol and demanding action to keep cherished teachers at their local schools, and to save classes in subjects important to them, sports programs, counseling, and health programs.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

As I was about to write an article about yesterday’s events in Sacramento, I decided to first complete my news and opinion digest for the monring. In this morning’s LA Times, I ran across an article, that caused me to keep saying to myself, “Tell me this isn’t true. It can’t be.”

Take a moment to read the Times article: “Cal State moves up application deadlines: Officials hope students will miss deadlines, easing the effect of budget cutbacks.”

Is this what the great state of California is coming to? I thought, apparently naively, that we celebrated and cherished the desire of our young wanting to further their education and attend institutions of higher learning. Instead, because of the budget proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger for next year, and difficulties the California State University (CSU) system expects to have with cut backs, they are, with premeditation (but propbably without malice aforethought) advancing the deadline for applying and hoping that many students miss the deadline.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]