May 20, 2021 – Managing Attorney John Affeldt is featured in EdSource’s recap of Governor Newsom’s K-12 budget.
What among the governor’s proposals will most advance students’ recovery from the pandemic and why?
This is an historic investment in public schools and equity for our high-need students. We and our grassroots partners urged the Administration to make an ambitious $5 billion multi-year investment in racially just community schools and a diverse and prepared, culturally responsive and inclusive workforce. We were delighted to see the governor meet and exceed that with an even higher, combined, $6.3 billion proposal. We also applaud the impressive proposal for an ongoing $1.1 billion investment in staffing increases in districts with concentrations of low-income students, English learners and foster youth and eventually another $5 billion ongoing in rich after-school and summer school programs. These, together with many of the other K-12 proposals from the Administration for wraparound services, $4 billion in social-emotional and mental health supports, universal transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds, and college accounts hold great promise to rebuild and re-imagine our public schools. With these investments effectively implemented, California can begin the journey toward truly creating the racially just, relationship-centered community schools our neediest students and students of color are calling for.
What priority should have been in the budget but wasn’t?
It’s time to make annual climate surveys of students, parents and staff an ongoing priority for the state. We and our partners wanted to see school climate surveys supported with at least a $100 million overall investment. Instead, the Administration maintained its January budget proposal of $10 million for exploring greater use of climate surveys. The pandemic has only highlighted the need for greater awareness of the social-emotional well-being of students and staff and the need for greater connectedness with our parent and caregiver communities. It seems that every day new research emerges to reinforce the notion that schools need to support the whole child and address the trauma that racism and poverty and other ills inflict to clear a pathway for student success. A positive school climate and feelings of belonging and connectedness are foundational to closing academic achievement gaps. The Administration’s support for expanding professional development to support climate improvement with educator effectiveness grants is meaningful, but we actually should be measuring what we value—that means a significant build-out and ongoing administration of climate surveys across the stakeholder community annually.
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