Looking for information about Race To The Top (RTTT)? California State PTA has created this list of Key Points (pdf) that you may find helpful.
SCHOOL FINANCE HIGHLIGHTS 2009–10
New EdSource Reports The Impact Of The Fiscal Crisis On California Public Schools
In fall 2008, the nation faced a historic economic crisis. No state government in the country was as severely shaken as California, where years of budget troubles preceded the national crisis. The situation
worsened throughout 2009, and state leaders repeatedly acted to balance the state budget. And because K–12 education represents the single largest state expenditure here, California’s public schools were greatly affected.
As the single largest expenditure in California's budget, K-12 education funding (and consequently the very ability of school districts and schools to operate) has been mired in the chaos that has characterized California's budget process in recent years.
School districts have endured deep cuts in state funding with little recourse, since California law severely limits their revenue-raising authority, leaving the K-12 education system vulnerable to economic volatility and Sacramento politics.
Concise and easy to read, Local Revenues for Schools: Limits and Options in California paints a comprehensive picture of how school funding got to be the way it is and the challenges and opportunities for changing it. Best of all, you can download it free from the EdSource website.
California State PTA has launched a public service announcement (PSA) campaign called "Parents Know the Answer" to engage families and promote PTA.
These video announcements feature real PTA members speaking straight from the heart about the benefits and rewards of getting involved in their children's public schools. They were made possible through the generous support of the Pearson Foundation. These videos will be rotated on this site as time permits.
State Budget Crisis and Education Finance Reform
See our Advocacy Section for information about local campaign issues.
Want to understand more about how education finance works (or doesn't work ??!) in California? Check out PTA in California's Special Edition "Getting to Work on School Finance and Education Reform". This document puts all the jargon and complicated budget processes in terms we all can understand.
