August 9, 2005
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell,
California Teachers Association, and
Parents Sue Governor to Restore Funding for Schools
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today delivered the following remarks during a news conference at Bret Harte Elementary School:
"In 24 years in Sacramento politics, it's always been my experience that a deal is a deal. On that December day when we made that agreement with the Governor, I understood what we were agreeing to. I understood the consequences, and so did the CTA.
"We knew revenues could change for the worse and that could wind up being bad for education. But we also knew that the major sacrifice of $2 billion was the right thing to do. However, when we made the agreement with the Governor we also knew that if revenues went up, the agreement would wind up being a good thing for our schools. We could begin to restore the promise of Proposition 98, the promise voters intended, of steadily building the state's investment in our public school system.
"Well, it turned out that revenues did go up and so, according to the deal made with the Governor, our schools should have been the beneficiaries.
"Instead, the Governor broke his promise. The deal didn't work out the way he'd intended, apparently, so he just simply ignored the terms of the deal. As I said before, I've never experienced anything like that working with fellow officeholders in 24 years of public service.
"So that brings us to this point today, where to protect our classrooms we must seek justice from the court.
"Let me be clear, even if we are successful, schools have sacrificed $2 billion, and that's money we agreed our schools would never get back. Our schools did their part to help the state get its fiscal house in order.
"But even with that $2 billion sacrifice, our schools are owed at least $3.1 billion because the economy improved. Under the constitutional funding guarantee of Proposition 98, and under the Governor's promise, that's the amount our schools are owed.
"That $3.1 billion would enable us to keep 100 schools open that are slated to be closed, to save class size reduction in all K-3 programs and to extend that program to the fourth grade.
"It could also provide twice as much professional development for teachers next year, double the amount of new textbooks available to our children next year, and fully fund pupil transportation for our school districts."
"In poll after poll since the Governor first released his budget proposal in January, the people of California have overwhelmingly and consistently supported additional funding for education. We're a shameful eighth from the bottom of all 50 states in per-pupil funding, and the budget signed by the Governor does nothing to lift us out of that basement.
"Today in California we're asking our teachers, our paraprofessionals, and our students to reach for the stars with funding that's in the basement. California will not move forward unless we invest in our schools. I hope this lawsuit will lead the Governor to keep his agreement to California's school children. It's time we make the investments that will prepare all of our students for the demanding, globalized economy of tomorrow."
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Attachments
What's Happening to Proposition 98?
(In Billions of Dollars)
Type |
2003-04 |
2004-05 |
2005-06 |
|---|---|---|---|
Prop. 98 Guarantee with no suspension |
$48.88 |
$50.77 |
$53.24 |
Prop. 98 Guarantee per Chapter 213 |
N/A |
$48.76 |
$51.14 |
Funding per Budget Act of 2005 |
N/A |
$46.94 |
$49.97 |
Governor's 2005-06 Guarantee |
N/A |
N/A |
$49.23 |
