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Don't Want Schools to Cut Teachers and Programs?

 
Don't Want Schools to Cut Teachers and Programs?
 
Email your legislators now! Now is the time that legislators are crafting their bills and creating alliances of support. We need support for increasing the base level of funding for all districts statewide. This is the best time to influence Albany's representatives, Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, Senator Nancy Skinner, and Governor Gavin Newsom, to step up for kids. It's a good idea to include our previous Assemblymember Tony Thurmond, long-time advocate for public schools, who is now State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
 
What to say? Did you email the School Board when the $2.5 million in cuts necessary to balance our budget was being discussed? Re-purpose that letter. Legislators are most swayed by personal stories--tell them how cuts to programs affect your kids. Also, please consider asking the state to put dollars toward supporting Special Education. All you really need to say is, “Please support increased education funding for all California students!”
 
I spent Tuesday at the State Capital, hearing about new bills from their authors, and getting the latest on the Governor's proposed budget. The teacher strike in L.A. was discussed, as was the Schools and Communities First ballot initiative that would modify Prop 13 to require large commercial properties pay market rate property tax. This year, leading up to the 2020 Nov. election, is crucial for public schools. This isn't the only time I'm going to ask you to write an email or show up at a rally for our kids.
 
A few talking points:
  • California trails the average spending of the top ten states by nearly $7,000 per pupil. We are spending about $11,000 per pupil, the top ten states average nearly $18,000!
  • California ranks high in class size (a negative).
  • Less than half of California students perform at grade level.
  • Although California has given more money to schools in recent years, we are only "Back to Bad".  Funding plunged during the Great Recession, and current levels of funding are only near what they were 10 years ago.
 
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
[email protected]
 
Senator Nancy Skinner
[email protected]
 
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond
[email protected]
 
For reasons of cyber security, Governor Newsom can only be emailed through a web form at: https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/
 
Thank you for writing by next Friday, Jan 25! Your emails will have an impact.
 
Kim Trutane, Ph.D.
President, Board of Education
Albany Unified School District
 
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