For Immediate Release
June 28, 2021
Contact: Duc Luu, dluu@publicadvocates.org
Statement from John Affeldt, Managing Attorney of Public Advocates Education Team, Regarding the California State Budget Proposal’s Education Elements
Introduction:
The 2021 state budget that Governor Newsom is expected to sign into law this week includes historic investments into key areas of California’s public schools. First, an estimated $3 billion into community schools; more than $2.8 billion into teacher quality, including teacher development, retention and training in grades K-12; and $1.1 billion ongoing for staffing increases in districts with concentrations of high-need students that will increase LCFF concentration grants to 65% of base funds. This concentration grant increase as well as over $1 billion this year for expanded learning opportunities will increase chances for success among high need students in the districts that have the highest concentration of poverty to help them close long-standing equity and opportunity gaps, exacerbated by the pandemic.
Additionally, the budget includes an historic expansion in access to Cal Grants for low-income community college students. Specifically, we applaud the $155 million investment that expands Cal Grant eligibility for 133,000 community college students and removes the time out of high school limit and age limits.
Statement:
“These transformative investments are critical to help students and schools recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said John Affeldt, Managing Attorney at Public Advocates. “We were particularly pleased to see that the ambitious $5 billion community schools and teacher quality investments called for by Public Advocates and our grassroots partners in the California Partnership for the Future of Learning were met and exceeded.
Taken together, these investments represent a monumental win for low-income students of color, their families and schools. With the record amount of state and federal funding going to school districts this year, communities, educators and advocates will have an extraordinary opportunity to reimage and rebuild our public education system, and redress deep-rooted inequity. At the same time, it will be even more important that districts throughout California double down on being transparent about their spending plans and vigorously engage community stakeholders in key spending decisions locally.”
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