State Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak said the governor's proposed budget for 2010-11 reflects hard choices, including providing more money for public basic education while holding steady the money for public higher education.
"We want to get the fundamentals right. Fundamentals really begin with the basic education system being well done. We've got to do basic education right," Dr. Zahorchak said Tuesday.
He said colleges won't have to provide remedial education if basic education is done right and he anticipates the federal government will increase Pell grants for needy post-secondary students.
He also said that 37 other states have cut higher education assistance to balance their budgets.
The budget calls for a $354.8 million increase in basic education spending -- 7.28 percent -- to be allotted using a formula aimed at providing more resources for school districts that are getting an inadequate share. Basic education funding would total $5.88 billion.
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