Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/939681
Prop. 98 guarantees a minimum level of funding to be spent on K-14 education, which in Gov. Brown's proposed 2018-19 budget plan is $78.3 billion. This would mean total per-pupil expenditures of $16,085, of which $11,614 is Prop. 98 revenue (up 66 percent from the $7,008 per pupil provided in 2011-12), and $4,471 is from federal and local revenue, including district parcel taxes and debt service from school construction bonds. Education Rising Proposed state budget includes more funding for K-12 and higher education G O V . J E R R Y B R O W N ' S first draft of the state's 2 0 1 8 - 1 9 b u d ge t , rel ea s ed in Janu ar y, in clu d e s a $ 1 9 0 . 3 b i l l i o n sp e n d i n g p l a n . A s a re su l t of increased state revenues and local property taxes, education funding for California's public schools and community colleges is at an all-time high of $78.3 billion (see chart). Proposition 98, passed in 1988, guarantees a min- imum level of funding be spent on K-14 education. If the proposed budget is passed, it would mean per-pupil expenditures in 2018-19 of $16,085, an increase from $15,654 in 2017-18. Brown's budget fully funds the Local Control Funding Formula, which augments resources for the state's students of greatest need, and raises the voter-mandated Rainy Day Fund by more than $5 billion to protect against inevitable economic recession. "We commend Gov. Jerry Brown for his leadership and resolve to deliver a surplus budget that fills the Rainy Day Fund and fully funds the Local Control Funding Formula two years ahead of schedule," says CTA President Eric Heins. "We're seeing this increase in revenue, thanks in large part to the overwhelming support of voters who passed Proposition 30 in 2012 and Prop. 55 in 2016 to prevent another round of devastating cuts that were so detrimental to our students." In addition, Brown's budget proposes a $570 mil- lion increase, or 4 percent, for community colleges. e University of California and California State Uni- versity systems would each see a 3 percent increase. Other highlights of education spending in Brown's plan: • $100 million in one-time funding to recruit and train special education teachers to help reverse a critical shortage. Half of the money would establish teacher residencies — a one- year mentoring program for teachers in training. e other half would award competitive grants to districts proposing solutions to the special ed teacher shortage. Continued on page 37 36 cta.org Advocacy S T A T E B U D G E T Jerry Brown