Legislative Update
1. Unit Presidents: Here is a sample insert for your newsletters and/or websites to encourage your members to sign up for legislative alerts. It is also available on our website, if you wish to download it from www.pleasantonpta.org
Please consider signing up to receive legislative alerts from Council, State and/or National PTA levels. Critical decisions that impact our children are being made at the local, state and national levels. In many cases, the opportunity for parents to provide input is extremely time sensitive. Therefore, PTAs need an efficient and effective way to reach its members quickly. The power of PTA comes from our members and is especially effective when individual members add their voices to those of our organization. Taking the time to telephone, fax or email a school board member, assembly member, state senator or federal representative on an issue of interest can be an effective tool in ensuring that our government bodies serve the best interests of our children. In most cases, when sending out a legislative alert, a sample letter and/or talking points are included to assist you in taking action if you feel it is warranted. You, of course, are under no obligation to respond to any alert, but are given the opportunity to do so for those issues that you feel are important. To receive PTA legislative alerts, consider contacting one or more of the following:
National PTA: To join the member-to-member network,
which will update you on key national educational
issues, go to http://www.pta.org/ptawashington/index.asp
2. Contacting
Your Local & State Representatives
See attached for updated information on newly elected and returning members of the PUSD school board, state assembly and state senate. All of these are also available on our website.
3. Guidelines
for taking legislative action
As permissible under federal tax laws, PTA members may engage in legislative activities on behalf of children and youth and may educate the general public and policy makers about officially adopted PTA positions and resolutions. As long as they remain strictly nonpartisan, PTA members may educate the general public about issues affecting children.
The California State PTA takes positions on issues/legislation based on position statements in the Toolkit, California State PTA convention resolutions, California State PTA legislative platform and National PTA positions and convention resolutions. Units may choose not to promote a California State PTA position, but they must not officially oppose a PTA position. For more information on determining PTA positions, check your toolkit (Section 4: Advocacy) or contact Debbie Look at look49@comcast.net.
If PTA does not have a position on a given issue, a local unit may study the issue and take a position itself and/or consider taking forward a resolution to State Convention to encourage development of a statewide position.
4. Governor’s
Budget Proposal
a.
Education Coalition Position
California State PTA is a
member of the Ed Coalition which includes:
Association of
On
The Education Coalition
believes it is unconscionable that the Governor’s proposed budget breaks the
promise he made to
Last year, students and
public schools sacrificed $2 billion in ongoing cuts because the
Governor promised our
schools would receive their fair share of any additional state revenues and
would be spared cuts in future years. The Governor’s budget proposal breaks his
promise to
The Governor’s proposals
are a smoke screen designed to divert public attention from
the real problems facing our public schools. They do
nothing to help public schools and
students. Instead, they exacerbate an already inadequate
funding problem by adding new
requirements without any commitment to adequate and stable
funding.
has meant school closures, increases in class sizes,
lay offs of teachers and support staff, and a devastating shortage of
librarians, counselors and nurses. Many schools lack basic supplies and
instructional materials.
The Governor’s plan to
cut another $2.3 billion from our schools goes against the will of
the voters, fails our students and breaks the education
budget agreement approved by the
Governor
and Legislature last year. Two
recent independent reports concluded that
b. PUSD Position
In a presentation to the
PUSD Board of Trustees on January 25th, Sandra Lemmons (Asst. Supt.,
Business Services) made the following points:
·
·
Governor wants
to “reform” Proposition 98 which guarantees minimum funding for education
·
Wants to end
state’s obligation to ever restore prior Proposition 98 cuts in revenue limit
base (e.g. $3.1 billion loss in 04-05)
·
Proposes to
review state revenues twice yearly and make across the board cuts if necessary
·
05-06 budget
provides for 3.93% cost of living allowance for all programs (3.5% in PUSD)
·
However, the
Governor proposes shifting responsibility for contributions to teacher pensions
from the State to Districts with no additional funding, therefore COLA is
actually only 2.53% (2.1% in PUSD)
Proposed Actions by
·
Consider
passing a resolution reflecting the position being put forward by the
California State PTA, calling for adequate funding for education and structural
budget reform to ensure that the State serves the needs of all children,
schools and families (see attached)
·
Consider
approving letters to the Governor, our State Senator and 3 assembly members in
this regard (see attached)
·
Instruct Debbie
Look to hand deliver these letters in
·
Post this
legislative bulletin, including these letters from Council, on our Council
website
·
Encourage our
units and individual members to send letters to the Governor and/or their State
representatives expressing their views on the proposed budget and its impact on
our children and schools – these letters may be sent at any time, but
consideration may be given to the State designated advocacy day on Thursday,
February 17th.
Pleasanton PTA
Council Resolution on Proposed 2005-06 State Budget
WHEREAS, The California
State PTA advocates for adequate and stable funding to
support student academic
achievement and to promote programs for the health and safety of children and
families; and
WHEREAS, The California
State PTA and the voters of California strongly supported
the passage of
Proposition 98 to guarantee a minimum level of funding for the State’s public
schools; and
WHEREAS, The Governor
promised last year to restore funding for the State’s K-12
public schools under
Proposition 98, and to protect children from drastic cuts in the 2005-06 State
Budget; and
WHEREAS, California has
the most rigorous academic standards and one of the
most stringent
accountability systems in the nation, but is among the lowest in providing
financial resources
according to a recent report by the Public Policy Institute of California
(PPIC); and
WHEREAS. California is
last in almost every category of school funding, including
school nurses,
librarians, counselors, and other critical support staff; and
WHEREAS, Arts, music,
physical education, after school programs and extra curricular
activities are
disappearing; and
WHEREAS, State Budget
spending cuts put increasing pressure on parents to raise
funds to provide their
children’s schools with essentials such as instructional materials,
personnel, technology,
arts/music programs and to maintain class size reduction programs; and
WHEREAS, California has
an ongoing structural deficit (the difference between state
revenue and state
spending) of more than $8 billion; and
WHEREAS, The California
State PTA believes that BOTH budget cuts and new
revenue sources will be
necessary to balance the State Budget now and in the future; now
therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the
Pleasanton PTA Council support and advocate for
adequate funding as
guaranteed by Proposition 98 for California’s six million public school
children, and for programs that ensure the health and protection of ALL the
State’s children, youth and families; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the
Pleasanton PTA Council call upon the Governor and
the Legislature to
consider all necessary actions, including State Budget structural reform, to ensure
a State Budget that serves the needs of children, schools, and families.
Adopted on February 9,
2005. __________________
Debbie
Look, President
February 11, 2005
The Honorable Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Governor, State of
California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Governor
Schwarzenegger:
On behalf of the
Pleasanton PTA Council, representing over 5,000 members at eight local schools,
I would like to express our concern about the effect of your proposed State
Budget on public education. Not funding
education, as Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools that
are already suffering from inadequate resources. PTA has long advocated for adequate funding
to support student achievement and to promote programs for the health and
safety of children and families.
California’s schools are
among the lowest funded in the nation.
Our average class size is the second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of
school nurses, librarians and counselors.
Yet we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the most
stringent accountability systems in the nation.
These high standards point the way to academic success for our students,
but schools need adequate funding in order to fulfill that promise.
The education funding
shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials,
programs and personnel. These efforts
create a gap between school communities that can provide additional funds and
those that cannot. We believe that a
strong statewide public education system is vital to California’s well being in
a global society, and that optimum educational opportunity for all students
must be provided.
As Governor, you have
shown that you believe in, and support, the will of the people via the
initiative and proposition process. In
1988, voters throughout California approved Proposition 98 to guarantee a
minimum level of funding for public schools.
The proposed 2005-06 breaks the promise made last year to California’s
schools, and to our six million students, to pay back the money borrowed from
Proposition 98 and to avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact
that state revenues are now higher than projections indicated when the promise
was made. We urge you to uphold your
commitment and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare them
and our state to be competitive in a global economy.
We understand that in a
time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds. We urge you to consider all necessary
actions, including State Budget structural reform, to keep education and
children as the first priority.
Sincerely,
Debbie Look
President
February 11, 2005
The Honorable Liz
Figueroa
California State Senate
P.O. Box 942848
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001
Dear Senator Figueroa:
On behalf of the
Pleasanton PTA Council, representing over 5,000 members at eight local schools,
I would like to express our concern about the effect of the Governor’s proposed
State Budget on public education. Not
funding education, as Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools
that are already suffering from inadequate resources. PTA has long advocated for adequate funding
to support student achievement and to promote programs for the health and
safety of children and families.
California’s schools are
among the lowest funded in the nation.
Our average class size is the second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of
school nurses, librarians and counselors.
Yet we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the most
stringent accountability systems in the nation.
These high standards point the way to academic success for our students,
but schools need adequate funding in order to fulfill that promise.
The education funding
shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials,
programs and personnel. These efforts
create a gap between school communities that can provide additional funds and
those that cannot. We believe that a
strong statewide public education system is vital to California’s well being in
a global society, and that optimum educational opportunity for all students
must be provided.
The proposed 2005-06
breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools, and to our six
million students, to pay back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to
avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact that state revenues
are now higher than projections indicated when the promise was made. We urge you to uphold the provisions of
Proposition 98 and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare
them and our state to be competitive in a global economy.
We understand that in a
time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds. We urge you to consider all necessary
actions, including State Budget structural reform, to keep education and children
as the first priority.
Sincerely,
Debbie Look
President
February 11, 2005
The Honorable Johan Klehs
California State Assembly
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
Dear Assemblymember
Klehs:
On behalf of the
Pleasanton PTA Council, representing over 5,000 members at eight local schools,
I would like to express our concern about the effect of the Governor’s proposed
State Budget on public education. Not
funding education, as Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools
that are already suffering from inadequate resources. PTA has long advocated for adequate funding
to support student achievement and to promote programs for the health and
safety of children and families.
California’s schools are
among the lowest funded in the nation.
Our average class size is the second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of
school nurses, librarians and counselors.
Yet we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the most
stringent accountability systems in the nation.
These high standards point the way to academic success for our students,
but schools need adequate funding in order to fulfill that promise.
The education funding
shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials,
programs and personnel. These efforts
create a gap between school communities that can provide additional funds and
those that cannot. We believe that a
strong statewide public education system is vital to California’s well being in
a global society, and that optimum educational opportunity for all students
must be provided.
The proposed 2005-06
breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools, and to our six
million students, to pay back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to
avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact that state revenues
are now higher than projections indicated when the promise was made. We urge you to uphold the provisions of
Proposition 98 and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare
them and our state to be competitive in a global economy.
We understand that in a
time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds. We urge you to consider all necessary
actions, including State Budget structural reform, to keep education and
children as the first priority.
Sincerely,
Debbie Look
President
February 11, 2005
The Honorable Guy Houston
California State Assembly
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
Dear Assemblymember
Houston:
On behalf of the
Pleasanton PTA Council, representing over 5,000 members at eight local schools,
I would like to express our concern about the effect of the Governor’s proposed
State Budget on public education. Not
funding education, as Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools
that are already suffering from inadequate resources. PTA has long advocated for adequate funding
to support student achievement and to promote programs for the health and
safety of children and families.
California’s schools are
among the lowest funded in the nation.
Our average class size is the second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of
school nurses, librarians and counselors.
Yet we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the most
stringent accountability systems in the nation.
These high standards point the way to academic success for our students,
but schools need adequate funding in order to fulfill that promise.
The education funding
shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials,
programs and personnel. These efforts
create a gap between school communities that can provide additional funds and
those that cannot. We believe that a
strong statewide public education system is vital to California’s well being in
a global society, and that optimum educational opportunity for all students
must be provided.
The proposed 2005-06
breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools, and to our six
million students, to pay back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to
avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact that state revenues
are now higher than projections indicated when the promise was made. We urge you to uphold the provisions of
Proposition 98 and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare
them and our state to be competitive in a global economy.
We understand that in a
time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds. We urge you to consider all necessary
actions, including State Budget structural reform, to keep education and
children as the first priority.
Sincerely,
Debbie Look
President
February 11, 2005
The Honorable Alberto
Torrico
California State Assembly
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
Dear Assemblymember
Torrico:
On behalf of the
Pleasanton PTA Council, representing over 5,000 members at eight local schools,
I would like to express our concern about the effect of the Governor’s proposed
State Budget on public education. Not
funding education, as Proposition 98 requires would further harm public schools
that are already suffering from inadequate resources. PTA has long advocated for adequate funding
to support student achievement and to promote programs for the health and
safety of children and families.
California’s schools are
among the lowest funded in the nation.
Our average class size is the second largest in the nation. We are last in the nation in the funding of
school nurses, librarians and counselors.
Yet we have the most rigorous academic standards and one of the most
stringent accountability systems in the nation.
These high standards point the way to academic success for our students,
but schools need adequate funding in order to fulfill that promise.
The education funding
shortfall has resulted in pressure on parents to raise funds for their
children’s schools to provide necessities such as instructional materials,
programs and personnel. These efforts
create a gap between school communities that can provide additional funds and
those that cannot. We believe that a
strong statewide public education system is vital to California’s well being in
a global society, and that optimum educational opportunity for all students
must be provided.
The proposed 2005-06
breaks the promise made last year to California’s schools, and to our six
million students, to pay back the money borrowed from Proposition 98 and to
avoid more harmful cuts in future years, despite the fact that state revenues
are now higher than projections indicated when the promise was made. We urge you to uphold the provisions of
Proposition 98 and to provide our children with a quality education to prepare
them and our state to be competitive in a global economy.
We understand that in a
time of stretched resources, there are many demands on available funds. We urge you to consider all necessary
actions, including State Budget structural reform, to keep education and
children as the first priority.
Sincerely,
Debbie Look
President