For Immediate Release May 13, 2022 Contact: Will Lowry, wlowry@publicadvocates.org, 415.795.0042
Statement on Education Funding in Governor Newsom’s May Revise
Statement on K-12 Budget:
We appreciate and support the many additional proposed investments in K-12 education reflected in the Governor’s May Revise.
We support a meaningful ongoing increase to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) base grant. However, given the historic health of the State’s fiscal situation, now is the time to double-down on equity. We urge the Governor and the Legislature to revisit LCFF’s supplemental grant for high-need students, currently set at 20% of the base grant. There is no magic to 20% supplemental grants. The original LCFF proposal was for a 37.5% supplemental grant level. New Jersey’s supplemental grant for high-need students ranges from 47-50% of its base amount. In addition to raising LCFF’s base grant amount, it is time to improve the equitable distribution of LCFF funds by increasing supplemental grants closer to LCFF’s original promise.
Among the many substantial and meaningful investments in community schools, educators and the K-12 infrastructure, we applaud the modest but potentially transformative investment of $100 million to expand the 2018 Community Engagement Initiative. With billions of new dollars of state and federal funds flowing to public schools, it is more important than ever that districts effectively engage and include the voices of students, families and community partners in deciding how best to use these funds. The Governor’s proposal promises to expand improved engagement practices to hundreds of school districts. At the same time, we urge an additional $150 million be added to improve the capacity of both districts and local community organizations for effective engagement.
Erin Apte, Senior Legislative Counsel added: Public Advocates and our partners in the California Partnership for the Future of Learning successfully advocated for last year’s major $3 billion investment in community schools and have worked intensively on its implementation this past year. We and our grassroots partners are thrilled with the Governor’s proposed $1.5 billion investment in community schools to ensure that every eligible high-need school in the state can become a racially just, relationship-centered community school. By sharing power and decision-making with students, families, educators, and community partners in co-creating schools, we can close racialized achievement gaps and better serve the social, emotional and behavioral health needs of our school communities.
Statement by Director of Higher Education Sbeydeh Viveros-Walton on Higher Education Budget:
We applaud the Governor’s continued commitment to higher education exemplified by the ambitious 70% attainment goal by 2030 and formalizing multi-year investments, compacts and roadmap with CSU, UC and the Community Colleges. This multi-year framework promises to close racial equity gaps, open 37,600 slots in UC and CSU, and invest in California’s future. The Cradle to Career Data system will prove to be instrumental in realizing this framework and we are encouraged to see its continued support in this budget. We applaud the Administration’s commitment to defraying rising non-tuition costs such as instructional materials, housing, food and transportation for students.
Accountability and transparency continues to play an important role in ensuring that these historic investments close equity gaps in higher education. We look forward to working with students to ensure that these investments remain centered on the student experience and improve student outcomes.
Looking ahead, we will continue to advocate for the inclusion of the Cal Grant Equity Framework in the June budget–a necessary investment that will benefit California’s post-secondary students.
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Public Advocates Inc. is a nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization that challenges the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination by strengthening community voices in public policy and achieving tangible legal victories advancing education, housing, transportation equity, and climate justice.
