LOS ANGELES — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today issued the following statement regarding Governor Schwarzenegger's May Budget Revision*:

"Teachers, parents, administrators, and paraeducators across our state have joined together over the last four months to illustrate what a devastating impact the cuts proposed in January would have had on our schools. I think it's clear the Governor has heard the outcry from the education community over his initial budget proposals.

"I welcome his new proposal and retreat from suspending Proposition 98. But to say that education is fully funded in this budget is an overstatement.

"Schools still must absorb the 10 percent cut made to specific programs like class size reduction, counselors, and targeted remediation programs. These cuts remain in today's proposal and have real-world impact on our students. Many teachers and other essential school staff will still face layoffs, classroom sizes are likely to increase, and there is no cost-of-living increase at a time when the cost of gas, food, and other school essentials is increasing. With the price of gas alone increasing by nearly $1 a gallon over the last year, the failure to fund a cost-of-living adjustment amounts to a serious budget cut in practical terms.

"I realize the Governor has a lot of tough decisions to make, and I commend him for taking the difficult but necessary step of recognizing that we need to raise more revenue. I am concerned, however, about a proposal that relies so heavily on the Lottery alone to fund schools. This scheme does not address the long-term funding needs of our schools. Instead, it gambles on our students' future by providing one-time funds for schools with a multi-year repayment plan.

"California is already near the bottom in terms of per-pupil spending. The Governor's budget revision still falls short of what schools need now, and doesn't begin to address what is needed in the long term. I continue to argue that we are long overdue for a conversation about how to adequately and effectively fund public education in a way that invests in California's future.  

"I will continue to work with the legislature and Governor Schwarzenegger to find a budget compromise that meets the needs of our students and all Californians."

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* For a still picture of O'Connell speaking at a similar event in San Francisco, please visit Year 2008 - Multimedia.