Dear Parents and Community Members,
As we continue to focus on providing a quality education for all our students, we are
increasingly aware of the constraints of limited funding. We need smaller class
sizes in grades 4 through 12, adequate books, materials, technology, and
supplies as well as appropriate staffing to support student learning. We also need to
maintain competitive compensation to attract and retain the best teachers, support
staff, and administrators to make real and lasting improvements.
Our children deserve adequate funding. The state of California ranks 43rd in spending
per student. Our state has the second highest ratio of students per teacher. If Poway
Unified were at the national average, we would have 500 additional teachers working
with our students. Our students cannot afford to have the state limit funding for
another year.
The following letter has been shared with the PUSD staff, and I wanted you to be aware
of our concerns. Thank you for your interest in our schools and students.
Sincerely,
Donald A. Phillips, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Dear Staff,
Let me begin by sharing how disappointed I am that our governor has not honored his
commitment and promises to K-12 education funding under Proposition 98. Proposition 98
is a constitutional guarantee that the state will provide a minimum amount to
education each year. While we are absolutely committed to an education program that
will challenge all students to do their very best, the continuation of limited funding
presents a roadblock that is hard to overcome.
Last spring, the Education Coalition agreed with the Governor to effectively suspend
Proposition 98 and to forgo $2 billion a year owed to K-12 under Proposition 98 for
the foreseeable future to help with the dire state budget he inherited. Part of the
agreement that was codified in legislation, and signed by the Governor, states that
any additional revenue beyond what was forecast for K-12 education for the 2004-05
fiscal year would go to K-12 education. The good news is that the economy in
California has picked up and revenues have grown by over $2 billion beyond the
anticipated revenue for this fiscal year. The Proposition 98 share of the $2+ billion
would be at least $1.1 billion. For our district, this would have meant an additional
$3 million for this school year, and it would have rolled into our future funding base
for next year and forever after.
The Governor’s proposed budget not only does not
include this revenue growth but also undercuts Proposition 98 by proposing to transfer
a portion of the State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS) payment, which has
always been part of the state commitment, from the state to the local district level.
This will lower the proposed effective Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) by
approximately 1.5%. In addition, he has proposed a number of changes to Proposition 98
that gut key provisions and reduce funding obligations over time.
But beyond the promise the Governor made with K-12 education, it is important to
understand how K-12 education stacks up with other states. I believe the following
information helps shed light on what can only be considered a disappointing and bleak
picture for California schoolchildren:
- While California has set arguably the highest academic standards for students of
any state in the nation, our financial commitment to education is in the lowest
quartile. (This is further compounded by the higher cost of living associated with
California.)
- According to the recent RAND study,
- In 1969-70, California was spending $400 per
student above the national average.
- As of 2001-02, California was spending $600 per
student below the national average. For our school district, merely getting to
the 2001-02 national average would increase our budget by $18.6 million per
year. In addition, we are a low-wealth district in California. If we were funded
at the California state average, it would add an additional $3 million to our
budget.
- California has the second highest ratio of
students per teacher (20:1, compared to the national average of 16:1). Being at
this ratio means, as many of you are too well aware, that there are academic
classes with more than 40 students in PUSD. If Poway were at the national
average, we would have over 500 more teachers working with our students.
- Student achievement in California is near the
bottom of the 50 states, ranking above only Louisiana and Mississippi. We know
that adequate funding is necessary but not sufficient to make real progress.
However, adequate funding does matter and needs to be part of any long-term
improvement effort.
- According to Education Week, adjusting for
regional cost differences, California ranks 43rd in spending per student.
From these vantage points, the budget proposal by the
Governor offers no better than the status quo. While we do not expect to make
additional cuts in general fund expenditures, we cannot begin to make the type of
academic progress we have set out for the state and our district. Funding to provide
appropriate staffing to support student learning, adequate books, materials,
technology, and maintain competitive compensation to attract and retain the very
finest teachers, support staff, and administrators is an essential component for
real and lasting improvement. Unfortunately, this budget falls well short of what we
had been promised and what Proposition 98 calls for by law.
I hope and anticipate the reaction to the Governor’s proposal will be very visible
and vocal. Without this type of response, I believe K-12 education funding will only
further deteriorate. Saying this, I don’t believe that the Governor’s proposed
budget will hold. However, I do not believe we will go back to a simpler time when
Proposition 98 funding followed a prescribed process unless the courts intervene
to protect Proposition 98. I do believe we will see an intense fight over the
viability of Proposition 98. Legislators and the Governor will be torn between finding
one-time solutions and structural changes that would require reductions in the areas
that have grown by 40% to bring us back into balance or eroding provisions of
Proposition 98. Finally, I believe there could be one or more initiatives on a fall
statewide ballot around Proposition 98 and adequate school funding. The outcome of
these concerted efforts is very unclear at this time.
I understand the structural challenges the Governor faces in balancing a budget
that has formulas and commitments for expenditures that exceed revenue growth.
The initial reaction by many is that K-12 education accounts for approximately 40% of
the budget, and therefore it must be about 40% of the problem. Reality is not
this simple. Proposition 98 is not at the bedrock of the structural problems facing
the state’s budget. Proposition 98 was
designed to go up or down based upon the state economy and the corresponding tax
revenue growth. Between 1998-99 and
2004-05, state revenue has grown by 30% and expenditures by 32%. During the same period, funding for education
has only grown by 21% while all other state programs have grown by 40%. Therefore, Proposition 98 is not at the root of
the State’s problem, nor is school funding. The
problem rests largely at the state level, with the significant growth in many social
programs other than education and the one-time solutions that have been used over the
past several years to hobble together a state budget.
Unfortunately, we do not have a crystal ball to know how this story will end, but I am
absolutely convinced that K-12 education is woefully under-funded and that if we are
going to have a viable public education system for all students in California, the
voices of teachers, staff, school and district leaders, and most importantly parents
and community, will need to be heard in Sacramento. Over $9 billion has been cut
from education since 2001-02. This is a reduction of $1,550 per student and
$38,750 per classroom. No other state or local government program has had to
suffer such huge reductions.
Please know that at the district level we are proactively working on all fronts to
positively influence the outcome of the 2005-06 State budget. We encourage all of you to become involved
through your organizations and as individuals to help ensure the children of
California receive the level of education they need and deserve.
Despite the financial woes we have faced, we have collectively found ways to support
our students and make improvements in our overall educational program. We obviously need to continue these efforts,
but it is clear that additional resources would significantly increase our rate of
change and our ability to meet the needs of all students. Thank you for your efforts during these most
challenging times.
As we learn more, we will keep you updated on what will very likely be a long and
protracted budget development process.
The
following links may be used if you are interested in contacting the Governor or your
legislators:
STUDENT AND DISTRICT
RECOGNITIONS
These are examples of the fine accomplishments occurring at our schools every
day.
STUDENT RECOGNITION
Tiffany Siaweleski, a fourth grade student at Stone Ranch Elementary School,
was the winner of the Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade Float Design Contest.
Tiffany’s winning entry, “All Around San Diego,” was chosen from hundreds of
entries, and won her the honor of having the design professionally created. Tiffany
and her family rode on the float during the parade. Tiffany’s prize package
included: Family Four-Pack to LEGOLAND, a LEGO Mindstorm set, a gift package from the
San Diego Zoo, and four tickets to the Holiday Bowl. Her entire class received one-day
admissions to LEGOLAND, grandstand tickets for the parade, and two tickets each to the
San Diego Zoo. Stone Ranch Elementary School received $1,000 in computer equipment
from Technology Integration Group.
Michael Mullaney, a senior at Mt. Carmel High School, received a CompTIA IT
Merit Award for achievement in computer training and certification. Michael passed the
A+ Certification Exam in May as a junior. He has worked with staff at both Black
Mountain Middle School and Mt. Carmel High School. Along with a certificate
recognizing his accomplishment, Michael will receive a check for $250.
STAFF RECOGNITION
Marissa Ochoa, Valley Elementary School third grade teacher, contributed to a
book for educators about literacy and comprehension. Marissa wrote, “Text to Tunes:
Extending Understanding by Writing Songs,” which was included in the book, Spotlight
on Comprehension: Building a Literacy of Thoughtfulness, by Linda Hoyt and other
leading experts in literacy.
DISTRICT RECOGNITION
Tierra Bonita Elementary School has been chosen as a Cool School by KFMB-TV San
Diego. The segment aired on January 7th and focused on the Character Counts! Program
at Tierra Bonita.
The U.S. Department of Education has selected the Poway Unified School District to be
one of eight districts nationwide to be featured in the National Education Technology
Plan. The document was announced to the press and public on January 7 in Washington,
D.C. The PUSD Strategic Plan graphic has been reprinted at the center of the report. Charlie
Garten, Executive Director of Technology, has been working with representatives
from the U.S. Department of Education and with education and technology teams across
the nation to utilize best practices to enhance student learning through technology.
The full text of the National Education Technology Plan is available at www.ed.gov and www.NationalEdTechPlan.org.
Penny Ranftle, Poway Unified School District vice president, has been elected
as one of the eight members of the California School Boards Association (CSBA)
Nominating Committee. The committee selects the candidates for the officers of CSBA.
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