Viewpoints: State must change way schools are financed
Published: Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 13A
Californians have reason to worry about the toll that the state's budget problems are taking on our students' education. After enduring years of recession, cuts to educational resources, overcrowded classrooms and fraying infrastructure, our public schools face fiscal disaster if voters reject a tax increase in November.
The 2012-13 budget lays out stark choices when it comes to the amount of funding our schools receive. If voters don't approve the governor's initiative, K-12 education would be pounded with $5.5 billion in cuts, and school districts would have the authority to shorten the school year by a staggering three weeks.
The budget also leaves unresolved a critical discussion about the way California schools are funded. The governor was on the right track when he proposed replacing the current, convolute