State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Releases
School District Budget Cuts Survey Results
Schools Make Deep Cuts to Programs Due to Budget Crisis
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the results of a survey of local educational agencies (LEAs) to find out how state budget cuts to public education are affecting them. O'Connell held a news conference in the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento County where all eight elementary school libraries were shut down to close a budget gap. The survey results are attached.
"The survey results make clear that school administrators are making heartrending decisions to balance their dwindling budgets while trying valiantly to keep students' best interests in mind," said O'Connell. "Sixty-five percent of districts that responded to this survey made cuts to building and school grounds maintenance, 58 percent cut funding for instructional materials, and 58 percent reduced funding for district administration. Forty percent of respondents have reduced the number of teachers; reduced or eliminated summer school; increased class sizes; and cut art and music classes, closed libraries, eliminated school nurse positions, and canceled sports programs.
"These deep cuts to our schools were made even though the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided critical funds to save education jobs last year. These funds are now running out, and our state budget picture continues to look bleak. In the Governor's May Revise, he proposes another $1.5 billion in general-purpose funding cuts that will exacerbate the current annihilation of services to students.
"Our public education system is in crisis. These cuts hurt students and hurt California's future economic viability. I call on the Governor and the Legislature to show the courage and leadership needed to find a budget solution that puts students first and protects our schools from further cuts."
The California Department of Education launched the survey in April to ask administrators in county offices of education, school districts, and charter schools how they have balanced their budgets in light of state budget cuts to public education. At the close of the survey in May, 387 LEAs responded. They represent 1.7 million students, or 26 percent of the statewide enrollment. The cuts at Natomas Unified School District are similar to cuts made by LEAs throughout the state.
"We made the decision to close our eight elementary school libraries with a heavy heart, but our budget situation is so dire that we had no choice," said Natomas Unified School District Superintendent General Davie, Jr. "We've also cut all of our health aides, eliminated busing, shortened our school year by five days, increased K-3 class sizes to 30-1, and issued layoff notices to about 30 percent of our teachers, classified staff, and administration."
Administrators were asked questions on what type of educational organization they are; which programs were cut or eliminated in the last two school years, 2008-09 and 2009-10; enrollment data as of October 2009; and what other actions were taken in the last two school years such as staff reductions, school closures, or reduced school year as result of funding cuts. These are the results of K-12 budget cuts survey by category and the percentage of respondents that made cuts in those categories.
Results of K-12 Budget Cuts Survey by Category | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|
Building, Grounds/Maintenance | 65% |
District Administration | 58% |
Instructional Materials | 58% |
Counselors, Nurses, Psychologists | 48% |
Art, Music, & Drama | 48% |
Classified Staff Compensation Reductions | 47% |
Certificated Staff Compensation Reductions | 45% |
K-3 Class Size Reduction | 35% |
Electives | 34% |
Library | 34% |
Facilities | 33% |
Teachers | 32% |
Professional Development Programs | 30% |
Paraeducators, Instructional Assistants | 29% |
Gifted and Talented Education | 28% |
Athletics | 27% |
Supplemental Instruction, Summer School | 26% |
Adult Education | 20% |
High School Class Size Reduction | 18% |
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment | 18% |
Reduced School Year | 16% |
Food, Nutrition Services | 14% |
Technology Services | 12% |
Transportation | 12% |
Physical Education | 12% |
Career Technical Education | 11% |
School Closure | 10% |
Child Development, Early Childhood Programs | 8% |
Compensatory Education | 5% |
Special Education | 5% |
Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Programs | 4% |
Driver Education | 4% |
Safe Schools, Security, School Police | 4% |
Multilingual Services, Services for English Learners | 3% |
Regional Occupational Centers and Programs | 1% |
Homeless Education | 0% |
For more information on the state budget crisis impact on education, please visit the California Department of Education's Budget Crisis Report Card Web page at Budget Crisis Report Card - Hot Topics.
Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Comments on Election
Outcome of Local School Bond Measures, Parcel Taxes
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell issued the following statement today regarding the approval by California voters of numerous local school bonds in Tuesday's elections:
"I am gratified that even during these difficult economic times voters continue to put California students first by approving 75 percent of the local school bonds and 70 percent of parcel taxes on the ballot in this election," said O'Connell. "I want to thank everyone who voted in favor of this important investment in our future."
Of the 20 general obligation bond measures on ballots across California, 15 measures passed which combined will provide more than $1.3 billion dollars for school construction and modernization. Eleven of the 15 successful measures received approval between the margins of 55 percent and 66.6 percent, with the remaining four exceeding that margin.
O'Connell is the author of Proposition 39, a measure approved by voters in 2000 that lowered the local school bond-approval threshold to 55 percent, down from a minimum of two thirds (66.6 percent). Without this, the 11 measures that fell within the 55 and 66.6 percent margin would have failed. Since the approval of Proposition 39, dozens of school facility bond measures have been approved within the 55 percent and 66.6 percent margin, allowing many more communities to raise funds for local school construction projects. Approval of these local bonds gives districts the ability to seek matching funds from the state of California for the construction of essential, new classrooms and improvement of existing school facilities.
Ten parcel tax measures were on the ballot that required a two-thirds vote for approval. Seven of the 10 passed.
"In this time of extreme budget cuts, it's important that local communities have the ability to raise the needed funds for their schools to support the staff, libraries, sports, arts — all the important programs that are being decimated year after year by the deep budget cuts being absorbed by our public education system," O'Connell said.
"Since its passage almost a decade ago, the 55 percent approval threshold for general obligation bonds has added billions of dollars to improving our schools. I believe it's critical that the same approval threshold also be applied to parcel tax measures."