Education Legislation Update

             PUSD’s projected $17 million shortfall for the 2010/2011 school year has grown to $24 million after the governor announced his new budget proposal in January.  Budget cuts for the last three years now total almost $80 million.  The current budget is $237 million.       

            After two months of negotiations, the California State Legislature passed a package of bills allowing the state to qualify for Race to the Top (RTTT) competitive grants.  The biggest potential impact of RTTT is to overhaul the lowest performing schools.  PUSD students, as well as the majority of students in San Diego County, will not be impacted because their respective school districts did not sign Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), a prerequisite to application for RTTT grants.

            The UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education & Access just released the fourth annual “California Educational Opportunity Report”, based on interviews with a representative sample of 87 principals from across the state.  Key findings include:  1. The needs of California’s children and youth have grown and are not being met despite extraordinary efforts by California educators; 2. Budget cuts have led to teacher layoffs and larger classes; 3. Budget cuts have affected students’ access to learning materials; 4. Programs outside the instructional core (of reading and math) were cut back or eliminated, with many costs shifted to parents. 

 

 

Poway Unified School District