 MEDIA ADVISORY | Contacts Kathryn Cross, VP for Communications Paul Richman, Executive Director |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Californians want to invest more in our local schools, PTA says
SACRAMENTO – California State PTA President Carol Kocivar released the following statement today as the legislature approved the main state budget bill:
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Now more than ever, Californians need and want to invest even more money in our local schools to restore the programs and services our children must have to succeed: science, arts and music, smaller class sizes, more librarians and counselors, and more. The State budget passed today does not reflect this important priority. That's why California State PTA supports the Our Children, Our Future education initiative for November. It will guarantee billions in new dollars for public schools and for early childhood education and preschool.
The PTA-supported education initiative ensures that K-12 funding goes directly to every local school in California – not anywhere else. It also strengthens local control because any decisions on how this new money is spent must be made by local school boards with input from parents and school communities.
We remain concerned that for the second year in a row, the final budget deal includes 'trigger cuts' that will disproportionately harm public schools if enacted.
Parents and families everywhere have seen the devastating impact of cuts on their children and their communities. Substantial new revenues like those provided in our education initiative are essential to begin restoring programs at our schools. California is the eighth largest economy in the world, and our academic standards are among the most rigorous in the country — but our investment in education is among the lowest compared to other states. Our local schools need new money right now so children have access to the programs and services they need and deserve."
everychild. onevoice.
CA PTA Exec. Dir. Paul Richman writes to clarify: The legislature has passed the main budget bill but not yet all of the "trailer bills" that help implement the budget, such as the education trailer bill. We expect the main K-12 proposals in the trailer bill to reflect the legislature's earlier versions.
The California State PTA has nearly 1 million members throughout the state working on behalf of public school, children and families, with the motto, "every child, one voice." The PTA is the national's oldest, largest and highest profile volunteer association working to improve the education, health and welfare of all children and youth. The PTA also advocates at national, state and local levels for education and family issues. The PTA is nonprofit, nonsectarian and noncommercial. For more information: www.capta.org.
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