Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1544915
Protect school funding promised by Prop. 98 Passed by California voters nearly four decades ago, Prop- osition 98 enshrines funding for public schools into the state constitution. It guarantees a minimal annual funding level in our state budget for public schools and community col- leges. This year, that guarantee is $121.4 billion. But this year, Governor New- som proposed a shell game and is attempting to withhold $5.6 billion from Prop. 98 to help cover the State's ongoing budget deficit. This massive cut is equal to nearly $1,000 per student. Weeks after the governor 's announcement earlier this year, administrators at more than 100 California school districts weapon- ized his proposal by issuing nearly 2,500 preliminary layoff notices. The cut in funding also means larger class sizes, even less mental health support for students, slashed programs and resources, and further deepening of the escalating the educator recruitment and retention crisis. "On top of fighting for and often self-funding the basic resources we need to do our jobs, the moral injury of getting a layoff notice and then having to wait two months to see if our job exists next year is driving deeply committed, highly qualified educators from the profession," said CTA Secretary- Treasurer Erika Jones. Jones, an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles, once received a layoff notice in the middle of the school day while teach- ing kindergarten. These layoff notices underscore the need for robust funding and increases in revenues for the state. In a time of national uncertainty with mounting attacks on education gaining traction at the federal level, threatening cuts to education funding in California only compounds the funding gaps we see in classrooms. Our union has been actively fighting for this pro- posed shell game to be removed from the governor 's revised 2026–27 State Budget in May or to be cor- rected by the State Legislature before its approval of the budget in June, and will continue to fight for every dollar guaranteed by law. "Prop. 98 isn't a piggy bank you get to borrow from," said CTA President David Goldberg. "It's the law that entitles our students to the funding they need to learn. Prop. 98 is the floor — not the ceiling — and this governor is trying to dig a big hole in that floor instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share." To learn more and support our fight to restore Prop. 98 funds, visit cta.org/prop98. " Prop. 98 isn't a piggy bank you get to borrow from. It's the law that entitles our students to the funding they need." — CTA President David Goldberg 1 37 S P R I N G 2 0 26