Newsom says California’s education spending is 41st in US
To the applause of education advocates around the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged Tuesday during his State of the State address that California’s spending on primary and secondary education is among the lowest in the nation.
“Seven years ago, we invested $47.3 billion in our schools. Next year, with your support, we’ll invest more than $80 billion — that includes $576 million for special education,” Newsom said.
“But it’s not enough. We’re still 41st in the nation in per pupil funding. Something needs to change. We need to have an honest conversation about how we fund our schools at a state and local level,” he said.
The poor position is no secret but it’s frequently countered with other, competing rankings on student spending. The key difference between reports that put California among the worst in the country and ones that place the Golden State somewhere in the middle is whether researchers choose to consider California’s high cost of living, experts say.
In spotlighting the lower figure it’s clear which one Newsom believes is most relevant to the state’s teachers — and it did not go unnoticed by groups like the California Teachers Association and other advocates for education spending.
“No governor in my entire career has been willing to acknowledge what California’s spending on a per-pupil basis is,” said Kevin Gordon, a veteran lobbyist who represents school districts. “For the governor to take that on and underscore it as a challenge we need to address is really significant.”
ANALYSIS
There are at least four major groups that track per student spending: the National Education Association, National Center for Education Statistics, the Census Bureau and the magazine Education Week.
The many sources make it difficult to determine which one is right and why. CONTINUE READING: Newsom says California’s education spending is 41st in US | The Sacramento Bee
