State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Responds to Governor's May Revise
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today issued the following statement after Governor Jerry Brown released his May Revision (Outside Source) of the 2011-12 state budget:"The $3 billion increase in education funding proposed by the Governor is welcome news to schools across the state where students are eager to learn; parents are engaged; and teachers, administrators, and school employees are working day and night to help our students achieve.
"Providing schools the resources they need is our shared responsibility, and the Governor's proposal — after $18 billion in cuts over the last three years — offers us a chance to begin to meet it.
"The May Revision also foreshadows the stark choices we face if Republicans and Democrats cannot reach agreement on a long-term solution to the financial emergency in California's schools.
"The alternative to the Governor's plan is to impose devastating additional cuts that our schools cannot afford — further crowding classrooms, laying off even more teachers, and shortening a school year that is already one of the shortest in the industrialized world.
"I also look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to recognize the importance of completing work on the data systems we need to meet federal mandates and promote student achievement.
"World-class public schools and universities were the economic engines that for decades fueled California's success. I urge the Legislature to quickly embrace the Governor's plan to invest in our classrooms and our future."
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