Databus Issue: 2007 2 05/29/2007
Legislative Update
Jeff Frost Legislative Consultant
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GOVERNOR’S BUDGET FOCUSES ATTENTION ON ACCOUNTABILITY,
DATA COLLECTION AND CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Overview of the Budget Year
On January 10, 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger introduced the 2007-08 State Budget. In general, this is a “maintenance budget” that continues funding for programs established in the current year. Proposition 98 is fully funded and there is a 4.04 percent cost of living increase on both the revenue limit and most categorical programs. The biggest news in the budget, and one of the primary reasons why the administration has been able to fully fund the Prop 98 guarantee, is that K-12 student enrollment will decline in 2007-08. Student enrollment is projected to decrease by 23,000 students or by 0.30 percent. This reduction will result in $286.4 million in reduced revenue limit appropriations in the budget year.
The 2007-08 State Budget also includes a continuation of the Governor’s commitment to improving low performing schools, additional reforms in career technical education and a desire to have schools provide more user friendly online information to parents about the status of their student’s local school.
Maintaining The Focus on Low Performing Schools
The 2007-08 budget continues the Governor’s focus on providing resources and remediation options on our state’s lowest performing schools. Last year the Governor negotiated a Proposition 98 settlement agreement with the California Teachers Association and others that would restore $2.9 billion over seven years to the Prop 98 Account. These funds were to be committed to decile one and two schools as a part of SB 1133 (Torlakson). The January budget continues this commitment by funding the second installment of this funding.
Additionally, the Governor has funded a continuation of the School Enrichment block Grant with $50 million aimed at schools in decile 1 to 3 to be able to recruit more qualified teachers. He also provided $5 million for instructional materials designed to assist in the remediation for the California High School Exit Examination.
Modest Programmatic Reforms
With limited new revenues available for 2007-08, the Governor has focused on a number of programmatic reforms including career technical education. The Governor\'s Budget proposes $52 million to expand career technical education (CTE) course offerings and programs. The Administration proposes that these funds be used for the following activities:
• Expanding the number of CTE courses offered in middle schools, high schools, and community colleges.
• Building stronger partnerships between the business sector and educational institutions.
• Planning and implementing CTE curriculum for emerging industries.
• Expanding internship opportunities for students.
• Establishing career exploration opportunities for middle school students.
• Creating career-themed high schools.
• Establishing streamlined pathways for becoming a CTE teacher.
• Creating several pilot career academies for young adults and high school dropouts who are unable to maintain living wage employment due to academic deficiencies.
Online, User Friendly Information On Schools
The Governor is proposing that school districts develop online, user friendly information options about the quality of its schools. As he said in his State of the State address, “if I can go online and find all the information I need about what car to buy, 2why can’t I do the same thing with my local school? To this end, the Administration will be working with the Legislature, Superintendent of Public Instruction and other interested parties to redesign the School Accountability Report Cards so that they are parent-friendly and provide the relevant district and site level information that will allow schools to be compared more easily. The administration identifies as a goal the development of “an integrated and transparent system that is easily accessible and provides meaningful information to parents, the public, educators and policymakers.” How this project is developed and paid for will one of the big questions in this legislative session.
CalPADS Data Collection
The Administration remains committed to enhancing the quality of data available on the state\'s student population and the teacher workforce. To support this effort, the Governor\'s Budget proposes $2.5 million from state and federal funding sources to support state-level activities necessary to continue the development of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CalPADS). The Governor\'s Budget proposes $1.1 million in federal Title II funding to support state-level activities at both the Department of Education and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to continue the development of the California Longitudinal Teacher Integrated Data Education System (CalTIDES). Unfortunately, the budget does not provide any funding for school districts to ensure that data collection at the local level is carried out. An effort will be made during hearings on the budget to augment the budget to add funding for districts.
Summary
As is the case every year, the 2007-08 budget will now be subject to a full review by the legislature and advocacy groups. By the middle of May, the Governor will revise his budget based on more recent economic and revenue projections. Will there be additional Proposition 98 revenues? Will programs outlined in January need to scaled or will there be additional revenues? As the budget process unfolds CETPA members will kept informed.
