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VAN NUYS / SAN DIEGO / OAKLAND – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today joined a coalition of educators to speak out against the Governor's proposals to cut education funding by $4.8 billion statewide.

O'Connell called on the Governor and the Legislature to uphold Proposition 98, California's minimum school funding guarantee.

"We need to invest in our schools for our young people to survive and succeed in what is becoming an increasingly competitive global economy, but all this budget would is shortchange them," O'Connell said. "The last thing we need to do is gut our minimum school funding law with severe cuts. California voters passed Proposition 98 to ensure that our students get their fair share, but this budget certainly wouldn't do that."

Joining O'Connell at the events in all three cities were Dean Vogel, Vice President of the California Teachers Association; Marty Hittelman, President of the California Federation of Teachers; Paul Chatman, President of the California School Boards Association; Pam Brady, President of the California State PTA; and Jai Sookprasert of the California School Employees Association.

The Governor recently signed a package of bills dealing with the state's fiscal crisis. The measures, which took effect immediately, reduce current-year Proposition 98 funding for K-12 education and community colleges by $507 million and defer most of the 2008-09 July apportionment to September.

"I understand we're looking at a tough budget year, but we must continue to improve our education system, because it is central in guaranteeing our state will have the highly qualified workforce it needs for a healthy economy in the years to come," O'Connell said. "My commitment remains to the students of California and I will continue to make improvements to our system regardless of our fiscal difficulties. At the same time, a conversation about how to secure the long-term investments needed for education is long overdue."