In This Issue:
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IS GOV. BROWN'S 'RANSOM' BUDGET AN EMPTY THREAT? |
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THIS AIN'T ROY ROGERS' TRIGGER |
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CALL FOR ONE TAX ON NOVEMBER BALLOT: Groups reassert demand for reforms |
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PHILADELPHIA
AREA TEACHERS WORK FOR FREE AFTER BUDGET CUTS - Superintendent: “We are
unable to fund the district’s payroll after Jan 4 |
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HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT: The Rest (but
not necessarily the best) of the Stories from Other Sources |
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EVENTS: Coming up next week... |
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What can YOU do? |
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Featured Links:
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California has a history of budgets delivered late.
Occasionally (once in a blue moon¹) it gets a budget on time. Tuesday we
got one five days early …and it wasn't worth the hurry!
In what the Huffington Post benevolently calls "a classic snafu" --
someone inadvertently (the temptation to enclose the last two words in
parentheses gleefully confessed) posted the governor's budget proposal,
scheduled to be unveiled in five days, online. Governor Jerry Brown v
2.0, kicking off his second year in his second go-round - was forced to
hold a hastily called press conference. Again the Huff Po: "…this
screwed-up roll-out — in which the rhetoric was unfinished and the
supporting cast un-prepped" generated the following from Brown's office –
misdated and typo infused:
January 10, 2012
To the Senate and the Assembly of the California Legislature:
I hereby submit to you my proposed Budget for 2012 13.
When I came into office, California was facing an immediate $26.6
billion budget gap and future budget deficits of $20 billion a year. In
January of 2011, I proposed a budget that combined deep cuts with a
temporary extension of some existing taxes. It was a balanced approach
that would have finally closed our budget gap. In the end, the taxes
were not extended and massive cuts — totaling (sic) $16 billion — were
enacted.
The 2011 budget did, however, lay the foundation for fiscal stability.
It cut the annual budget shortfall by three quarters — from $20 billion
to $5 billion or less. It shrunk state government, reduced our borrowing
costs and gave local governments more authority to make decisions.
he (sic) budget that I am submitting today keeps the cuts made last year
and adds new ones. The stark truth is that without some new taxes,
damaging cuts to schools, universities, public safety and our courts
will only increase.
That is why I will ask the voters to approve a temporary tax increase on
the wealthy, a modest and temporary increase in the sales tax and to
guarantee that the new revenues be spent only on education. I am also
asking that the voters guarantee ongoing funding for local public safety
programs. This ballot measure will not solve all of our fiscal
problems, but it will stop further cuts to education and public safety
and halt the trend of double digit tuition increases.
My budget plan also includes important reforms. It improves government
efficiency and pays down debt. It reorganizes state government to make
it more efficient and saves tax dollars by consolidating or eliminating
functions. It restructures social service programs to better support
working families. It gives substantially more flexibility and decision
making to local school districts.
The plan also calls for bold investments in our future: to assure a
reliable water supply, build high speed rail and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
As California’s economy continues to slowly recover — and recover it
will — our plan will provide fiscal stability and make California
government more transparent and responsive to the people.
I look forward to working with you in the coming year.
Sincerely,
Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
[The Proposed Budget is here: http://bit.ly/wPdOt9 ]
The script unfinished and the supporting cast unrehearsed didn't slow
down the critics a whit, with the metaphoric football fumbled, everyone
piled on!
(sample headlines:)
● Whack! Brown to ax 3,000 state jobs, 50 state organizations
● Brown Calls for 7% California Spending Boost to $92.6 Billion
● California Gov. Jerry Brown Puts Technology in Budget Crosshairs
● State faces cuts, more strife ahead
● Brown to Seek More Automatic Spending Cuts If Tax Increase Fails
● UC budget slashed by $100 million
● Brown: Next Year's Budget Will Be Worse
● Amid Budget Cuts, Calif. Gov. Brown Still Dreaming
● Schools will be cut $4.8 billion if taxes don't pass, Gov. Jerry Brown says
● Gov. Jerry Brown's new budget plan targets schools
● Brown promises funds for Calif. police in tax push
● Brown Unveils California Budget Early After Mishap Leaks Plan
DrDeasyLAUSD tweeted on Jan 7th:
● "Since 08-09, LAUSD has faced $2.3 bil in cuts and after 4 yrs of program & staff reductions, we're at edge of cliff."
● "The next step is a wholesale loss of critical programs. These cuts
will trample on fundamental right of youth 2 receive a quality
education."
● "That they come at a time when we are achieving significant gains in
test scores across LAUSD makes them that much harder to accept
So – Nobody's happy.
OK, 4LAKids is …because up 'till Thursday the only Education News this
past week was The LAUSD Rose Princess, the All City Band in the parade
and a one hour lockdown at a Green Dot charter school for more than an
hour "…after a prank call reported three armed men on campus,
officials(!) said"
¿Have you ever noticed that "officials" are always quoted unofficially?
I was afraid I'd have to rant about three weeks being too long for winter break. It is.
But then the budget leaked and a Beverly Hills school construction
official(!) got sentenced to prison and I have a cornucopia of content.
I am not at all happy with Jerry's Budget. I like combining cuts with
tax increases, but these are ADDITIONAL cuts after years of cuts …and
only PROPOSED INCREASES after years of no increases. Note that Jerry's
campaign for his initiative seems to be targeting its appeal to public
safety+education – but the tax hikes really support the General Fund –
with Ed and Safety being only a formulaic part of it. These are
temporary increases to fix an enduring problem. It's a frozen paper
towel from the nurses office when a doctor visit is required.
AND THEN, THERE'S THE TRIGGER, FROM THE SAME WONDERFUL FOLKS IN
SACRAMENTO, DEMS+ REPS/LEGISLATORS+GOVERNOR; WHO THREATENED TO PULL THE
TRIGGER IF LAST YEAR'S WISHFUL BUDGET PROJECTIONS DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
…AND WHEN THEY DIDN'T, THEY PULLED IT!
NOW IF THE VOTERS DON'T APPROVE BROWN'S WISHY-WASHY INITIATIVE THE TRIGGER GETS PULLED AND PUBLIC EDUCATION GETS SHOT. AGAIN.
● See: Einstein on doing the same thing and expecting different results.²
● See: Yogi Berra on deja vu.³
On Roy's 100th birthday I feel a need to echo Sheila Kuehl: "This ain't Roy Rogers' Trigger!"
And in Pennsylvania we see that it can get worse; read the letter below
from the departing superintendent of Chester Upland schools. Familiarize
yourself with the language. The good news is it could be worse. The
bad news is it will get worse. In Inglewood and San Diego to start. In
smaller districts first, and truly independent charter schools.
And, Frank Zappa notwithstanding, It can happen here.
"First they came for the small districts and the charter schools …. but I was not one of those…"*
¡Onward/Adelante! - smf
__
¹ http://bit.ly/y92Yi2
² http://bit.ly/zw2qhL
³ http://bit.ly/zQUkz0
* http://bit.ly/zUfwxd
IS GOV. BROWN'S 'RANSOM' BUDGET AN EMPTY THREAT?
CALIFORNIA GOV. JERRY BROWN PROPOSED A STATE BUDGET
THURSDAY THAT WOULD CUT $4.8 BILLION FROM EDUCATION – BUT ONLY IF A
BALLOT INITIATIVE TO RAISE TAXES FAILS. PROBLEM IS, LEGISLATORS ARE
BALKING.
By Daniel B. Wood, Staff writer Christian Science Monitor | http://bit.ly/z8wMlE
January 6, 2012 - Los Angeles :: There is little doubt, political
analysts say, that California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) intended to frighten
state voters with the budget he proposed Thursday. What is less clear is
whether his new ultimatum is essentially an empty threat.
Facing a $9.2 billion deficit, Governor Brown warned Thursday that the
state would have to cut $4.8 billion from education if voters did not
pass his ballot initiative to raise taxes on rich Californians.
“He is forcing voters to decide which pain they prefer: severe program
cuts, including in both the education and corrections systems, or
wrenching tax increases,” says Villanova University political scientist
Lara Brown.
But California has earned Standard & Poor’s worst credit rating for a
US state precisely for its repeated refusal to address the structural
imbalances in its budget, and it is by no means certain the Legislature
would swallow Brown’s bitter pill even now.
Brown’s proposed $92.6 billion spending plan unveiled Thursday is
intertwined with his ballot initiative. The initiative would raise $7
billion by raising the tax rate on Californians making at least
$250,000, and by increasing the state sales-tax rate from 7.25 percent
to 7.75 percent. The hikes would expire after five years.
If the initiative fails, however, Brown's budget plan has a trigger to automatically cut $4.8 billion from education.
Political scientist Dan Schnur told Bloomberg News that this trigger was
"the most expensive ransom note in California political history." But
Brown denies that he is trying to strong arm voters.
“When they asked Willie Sutton why he robbed banks, he said, ‘because
that’s where the money is,’ ” said Brown in a press conference Thursday.
Noting that 40 percent of the state budget, by law, is earmarked for
education he continued, “Well, education is where California’s money
is.”
But getting the Legislature to back such a plan is another matter.
Republicans blocked a bid by Brown last year to raise taxes, and they
are gearing up to block his budget now. They say growing state tax
revenues show that holding taxes low has stimulated the economy.
It is disappointing to see Governor Brown propose yet another reckless
budget scheme,” said Assembly Republican leader Connie Conway in a
statement. “We believe Sacramento’s focus should be growing the economy
and getting spending under control, not trying to raise taxes.”
But there are signs that Democrats might be digging in as well – and the
Brown budget would fail without Democratic support. At issue are
proposed cuts to health and welfare services even if his tax initiative
is passed.
"Legislative leaders are already declaring the onerous cuts will not be
passed easily,” says Barbara O’Connor, director emeritus of the
Institute for Study of Politics and Media at California State
University, Sacramento, in an e-mail.
But she adds that the budget is “an honest appraisal of what the budget
will look like without revenue increases in November,” and that voters
seem to side with Brown – prioritizing education over health services.
“Polling indicates that voters are willing to increase revenues to avoid cuts to education,” she says.
One key unknown is where the economy goes in the first half of 2012. If
things go better – and more revenue comes in – pressure for both cuts
and taxes decreases.
“Jerry Brown and the rest of the state thought that the economy would be
doing better by now than it has,” says Robert Stern, former president
of the Center for Governmental Studies. “He is desperately hoping that
the recovery will be evident by summer and that people will have more
confidence in state government and him so that they will pass his
measure. If not, education will take a huge hit and so will Brown.”
Brown is in a tough spot no matter which way he turns, adds says Jack Pitney a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College.
“In the longer run, he can't get the voters to raise taxes until he
convinces them that he's made deep cuts,” Professor Pitney says. “But
will the Legislature accept the cuts?”
“The Senate [Democratic] leader says he wants to hold off and see if
revenues will go up,” he adds. “Maybe that will happen, but might an
uptick in revenues in the spring diminish the public appetite for a tax
increase in the fall?”
THIS AIN'T ROY ROGERS' TRIGGER
By: Former California State Senator Sheila Kuehl | Yuba.Net | http://bit.ly/x6gawq
January 7, 2012 - Since Governor Brown's staff mistakenly posted his
proposed budget on his website, rather than keeping it under wraps till
Tuesday, the budget debate season got off to an early, if wobbly, start.
Analysis of the budget will take a few days, so I wanted to begin by
bringing you up to date on the triggers that were pulled last month in
the 2011-12 budget. This essay describes what circumstances forced the
first trigger to be pulled, how the second trigger was not fully set
into motion, and who lost what.
Further essays will discuss the various provisions of the 2012-13 budget
unveiled by the Governor on January 5th, followed by reports on future
deliberations through the winter and into the spring and summer, as each
major step takes place.
ONE TRIGGER WAS IN THE ROSE PARADE, ONE WAS IN THE BUDGET
Although I have to admit I found it a bit creepy, the stuffed remains of
Roy Rogers' beloved steed was displayed on a Rose Parade float honoring
Roy's 100th birthday.
Dangerously wobbling at the front of a somewhat over-the-top float, this Trigger, though dead, looked fat and healthy.
The state budget Triggers, on the other hand, very much alive, looked
downright cadaverous. Cutting the 2011-12 state budget by another 891
million dollars, these automatic robo-cut devices carved a whole new
round of deadly wounds through the already-devastated usual suspects.
A QUICK REVIEW OF THE 2011-12 BUDGET TRIGGER PROVISIONS
The budget, adopted on time in July, projected General Fund revenues for
2011-12 at about 88.5 billion. The trigger devices, however, provided
that, if, in the December just passed, revenues for the rest of 2011-12
were forecast to be lower than anticipated by between one and two
billion dollars, 600 million in additional cuts were to go into effect
(so-called "tier one" cuts). If the revenue gap amounted to more than 2
billion, additional cuts of up to 1.9 billion were to be triggered
("tier two").
Specifically, under Tier One, if revenue projections were off by between
one and two billion, the UC system would lose another 100 million, CSU
the same, the Department of Developmental Services the same. In Home
Supportive Services would lose another 110 million, prisons another 92
million, and childcare an additional 23 million. The Community Colleges
lose another 30 million which they are allowed to backfill with fee
increases to students. Medi-Cal cuts made last March would be extended
to all managed care plans to save another 15 million.
Tier Two, which was to kick in if revenue projections were off by more
than two billion, would reduce the school year in 2011-12 by up to seven
days, to save 1.5 billion. Home-to-school transportation would be
eliminated, saving 248 million, and the community colleges would be
denied a 72 million dollar apportionment increase.
WHAT HAPPENED IN DECEMBER
Revenue was predicted to come in at 2.2 billion less than budgeted.
Believe it or not, this was the rosier of two projections, which the
trigger provisions allowed the Governor to use. The Department of
Finance projected $86.2 billion in revenues, while the Legislative
Analyst predicted $84.8 billion. Revenues were up by 1.8 billion (which
was still less than the rosy projection of the budget), mainly due to
higher than expected personal income tax revenues (almost entirely from
high earners) of 1.5 billion. Corporation tax was also up by almost 500
million. Lower and middle income groups showed a decline.
The Governor, having insisted on the triggers in the budget so he
wouldn't have to go back to a chaotic legislature for more cuts, and
wouldn't have to actually make a decision, himself, to cut, explained
his lack of choice in Latin. Demonstrating his usual combination of
seminarian and erudite Californian, he spread his hands and said, "Nemo
dat quod non habet," which means "No one can give that which he does not
have."
Never mind that this rule is usually used to figure out who owns
something when a person who didn't have the right to it sold it to a
purchaser who didn't know the title was bad. In this case, the Governor
simply used the phrase to figuratively turn out his empty pockets and
shrug.
The result? Piled on to over 15 billion dollars in cuts in the original
2011-2012 budget, which followed over 7.8 billion in cuts in 2010-11,
the triggers cut an additional 981 million from an already bloody
budget.
CUTS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
On top of 1.3 billion already cut in July, the UC system and the CSU
system each got slashed another 100 million each. They are tasked with
figuring out how to allocate the cuts across their system.
The community colleges lost 30 million and were allowed to backfill the
loss with a $10 per unit increase in student fees on top of a similar
hike just months earlier. The total now is $46 per unit, which, although
we are still 49th in what we charge per unit at our community colleges
(New Mexico is now lower), is still out of reach for a significant
portion of our students. Last year, 56 % of community college students
got low-income waivers and the Chancellor's office believes this will
jump to 70%.
The greater problem, though, is that the community colleges system,
under the portion of the Tier Two cuts which did go into effect,
actually sustained an additional 72 million in cuts by reduced
apportionments, which is not covered by the new fee. This means further
diminution of classes, slots, faculty and services.
CUTS TO K-12 EDUCATION
Because the revenues were not as low as might have been expected, the
second trigger was not fully pulled. Instead, K-12 avoided the 1.5
billion dollar cut that would have reduced the school year by seven full
class days. Emblematic of the times, a "mere" 330 million cut from
school districts across the state was met with a sigh of relief. 80
million was cut from prop 98 funds by reducing apportionments to school
districts. The greatest devastation was to the school transportation
program, which bore 248 of the 330 million in cuts. School districts
were told to pay for needed buses out of reserves, but most didn't have
any reserves left. The Los Angeles Unified School District lost 38
million dollars, leading the Superintendent to say they would have to
shut down school buses in the spring, stranding 35,000 students,
including 13,000 special needs students. L.A. Unified quickly filed a
suit to block the cuts.
CUTS TO CHILD CARE
The Department of Education lost an additional 23 million dollars in
child care funding, which broke down to 17 million in non-prop 98 funds,
and 5.9 million in prop 98. This translates to a loss of roughly 7500
subsidized slots, impacting working parents, who are simply stranded
without care.
CUTS TO EVERYTHING ELSE
The In Home Supportive services program lost an additional 101.5 million
dollars, which was divided between a 10 million dollar diminution in
local anti-fraud efforts and all the rest in a direct reduction in
services to low-income elderly and sick Californians. A suit was filed
over these cuts.
The Department of Developmental Services lost 100 million, Corrections
was cut by 20 million, the California State Library lost 16 million, and
Medi-Cal lost an additional 8.6 million when the March 2011 cuts to
managed care plans were continued into this year.
A JUVENILE JUSTICE BAIT-AND-SWITCH
In a scratch-your-head sort of development, the triggers also cut 67.7
million to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
(CDCR) for juvenile offenders, but the Governor is demanding that this
loss be backfilled by charging counties more for juveniles incarcerated
by the state. This is interesting for several reasons. Over the last 15
years, beginning in 1996, when the juvenile population incarcerated by
the state was more than 10,000, the state began devolving responsibility
for youthful offenders down to the counties. Today, there are only
about 1,000 young offenders, those who have committed the most serious
crimes, spread over the five state facilities. Currently, counties have
to pay about $500 to the state for each one.
Now, the Governor proposes filling the cut made by the trigger by
raising the amount charged to the counties from $500 per prisoner to
$125,000 per prisoner, which, he maintains, is still less that the
$200,000 per year they cost the state.
As Kurt Vonnegut would say (not in Latin):
So it goes.
● This essay is from former California State Senator Sheila Kuehl. If
you want to subscribe to these essays, go to www.SheilaKuehl.org.
CALL FOR ONE TAX ON NOVEMBER BALLOT: Groups reassert demand for reforms
By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess | http://bit.ly/wGDxCn
Posted on 1/03/12 • Later this week, Gov. Jerry Brown will get a letter
from education and business leaders worried about the prospect of
multiple tax initiatives in November. Their message: The only hope for
addition to revenue is subtraction on the ballot.
But in calling for Brown to persuade sponsors of various proposed
initiatives to coalesce around one initiative, the letter will ask Brown
to bend as well. The signers favor combining higher taxes with “real
structural reform” – an idea missing from Brown’s proposal for a
temporary $7 billion per year sales and income tax increase.
“If there are multiple revenue-raising measures on the ballot, none are
likely to pass. We can’t let that happen to our kids,” wrote Ted
Lempert, president of Children Now, an advocacy group for early
childhood education, in a note to a letter that he is circulating to
like-minded leaders. Lempert is asking them to sign the letter by
Thursday.
Ted Lempert of Children Now is asking education leaders and advocates to sign this letter that will be sent to Gov. Brown.
Here is a draft of the letter that will be sent to Gov. http://bit.ly/z9U42W.
Besides Brown’s initiative, which a number of public employee unions
back, there could be three to a half-dozen competing tax plans on the
November ballot, several of which could be backed by well-funded
campaigns. These include big taxes on millionaires and on oil production
in California.
There’s general consensus that more than one tax initiative, splitting
the votes of already tenuous tax supporters, would doom all to fail. As
yet, at least publicly, there’s been no sign of compromise. But with
time running short to start collecting signatures, negotiations for a
deal would have to happen in the next few weeks.
Lempert is calling on Brown to lead the talks.
Lempert is a leader behind The 2012 Kids Education Plan. It calls for a
$6 billion to $8 billion unspecified tax exclusively for early childhood
education and K-12 schools. It also outlines broad elements of reform
that it says should be part of any tax increase. They include lowering
the super-majority requirement for passing local school taxes,
simplifying the convoluted school funding system, and adopting
“workforce reforms” (code for perhaps changing state teacher tenure and
evaluation laws). The two-dozen organizations that have signed on to the
Plan include two members of the Education Coalition – the Association
of California School Administrators and the California School Boards
Association; the Bay Area Council, representing Bay Area businesses, and
United Way of Greater Los Angeles; the parents groups Educacy and
Educate Our State; and advocacy groups Public Advocates and Education
Trust-West (see related post by Ed Trust-West Executive Director Arun
Ramanathan).
Some of those groups are expected to sign the letter to Brown as
well.
Brown is going to have to strike a delicate balance.
If he agrees to all of the key elements of The 2012 Kids Education Plan,
the California Teachers Association may withdraw its support and money.
But Lempert and others will counter that combining reform and revenue
is the only way to get business executives and philanthropists to pony
up for what promises to be an expensive campaign. A proposition backed
only by labor won’t win, they’ll argue.
(See summary of proposed initiatives.)
Here's a summary of proposed tax initiatives:http://bit.ly/zn4iLx
Brown’s tax plan would increase the General Fund, which faces a $13
billion deficit next year; only a piece of it would go to K-12 schools
and community colleges (roughly 40 percent). Education advocates argue
that a tax increase dedicated to schools has the best, if not the only,
chance of passing, and have several recent polls to back that up.
The Our Children, Our Future initiative, sponsored by civil rights
attorney Molly Munger and backed by the California PTA, would raise $10
billion exclusively for K-12 and early childhood programs by raising the
state income tax, hitting high-income earners the hardest.
But late last month, Munger indicated she’s sensitive to Brown’s dilemma
and the state’s overall fiscal crisis. She submitted an alternate
version of her initiative that would divert $3 billion of the $10
billion in new revenue for four years to pay down the state’s bond
indebtedness. The effect would be to free up $3 billion in the General
Fund to address the state budget deficit, without raising the obligation
to schools through Proposition 98.
That’s the type of movement that all sides must show to head off defeat by circular firing squad in November.
PHILADELPHIA AREA TEACHERS WORK FOR FREE AFTER BUDGET
CUTS - Superintendent: “We are unable to fund the district’s payroll
after Jan 4
TEACHERS DECIDE TO WORK FOR FREE AFTER BUDGET CUTS
LEAVE PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHOUT FUNDS FOR SALARIES
By Tanya Somanader/ ThinkProgress.org from L.A. Progressive | http://bit.ly/yml2l8
January 6, 2012 :: The Chester Upland School District in Delaware
County, Pennsylvania suffered a serious setback when Gov. Tom Corbett
(R) slashed $900 million in education funds from the state budget. The
cuts landed hardest on poorer districts, and Chester Upland, which
predominantly serves African-American children and relies on state aid
for nearly 70 percent of its funding, expects to fall short this school
year by $19 million.
Faced with such a shortage of funds, the school district informed its
staff that it will not be able to pay their salaries come Wednesday. So
the teachers decided to work for free. As one teacher put it, students
“need to be educated, so we intend to be on the job”:
At a union meeting at Chester High School on Tuesday night, the
employees passed a resolution saying they would stay on “as long as we
are individually able.”
Columbus Elementary School math and literacy teacher Sara Ferguson, who
has taught in Chester Upland for 21 years, said after the meeting, “It’s
alarming. It’s disturbing. But we are adults; we will make a way.The
students don’t have any contingency plan. They need to be educated, so
we intend to be on the job.”
The school board and the unions separately begged Corbett to provide
financial aid for the district, but Corbett turned each request down.
Pennsylvania’s Education Secretary Ron Tomalis told the board that it
“had failed to properly manage its finances and would not get any
additional funds.” Chester Upland was forced to lay off “40 percent of
its professional staff and about half of its unionized support staff
before school began last fall.” That leaves 200 professionals and 65
support staff to manage a school with class sizes of over 40 students.
Chester Upland is not the only district desperately trying to stay
afloat. Corbett’s cuts forced one school district to enforce wage
freezes and cut extracurricular activitiesand another turned to actually
using sheep instead of lawnmowers to cut grass at two of its schools.
As ThinkProgress’s Travis Waldron pointed out, Corbett could relieve
school districts if he let special interest groups like tobacco and the
oil and gas industry go without their tax breaks. But he seems to prefer
allowing teachers to go without pay.
● TANYA SOMANADER is a reporter/blogger for ThinkProgress.org at the
Center for American Progress Action Fund. Tanya grew up in Pepper Pike,
Ohio and holds a B.A. in international relations and history from Brown
University. Prior to joining ThinkProgress, Tanya was a staff member in
the Office of Senator Sherrod Brown, working on issues ranging from
foreign policy and defense to civil rights and social policy.
► AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT: “We are currently unable to fund the district’s payroll expenses after Jan. 4, 2012”
Members of the Chester Upland School District Community:
It has been a pleasure to serve as your acting superintendent. I
have thoroughly enjoyed working with you to implement best and sound
practices to continue moving the school district in a positive
direction. My interim term ends on December 31, 2011. As I prepare to
leave, I do so after having provided a foundation for my successor to
build upon in the days ahead. I have pledged my continuing support and
complete cooperation.
Since my appointment in October, much has been accomplished
including: securing the continuation of the district’s Title I funding;
hiring certified teachers at Science and Discovery and Allied Health
High Schools; hiring a permanent chief business manager for the
district; appointing a deputy acting superintendent; identifying
qualified candidates for consideration as acting superintendent for the
rest of this school year; and recommending a timeline for hiring a
permanent superintendent. I sincerely believe the transition of
leadership will be accomplished in a smooth and efficient manner.
We now face a very challenging financial crisis. We are currently
unable to fund the district’s payroll expenses after January 4, 2012.
However, I assure you that the members of the school board and the
district administration are doing everything possible to identify a
solution. We are working cooperatively with the labor unions, the
Delaware County Superintendents, the Delaware County Intermediate Unit
and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition to making a
formal appeal to Governor Corbett for the funding needed, the Board
members continue to wait for the Governor’s personal response to Board
President Wanda Mann’s letter detailing the severity of our current
financial situation. Please visit the school district website in the
coming weeks for updates on this and other highly important matters.
Information will be shared as soon as it is available.
I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to positively contribute to
the Chester Upland learning community. Special thanks to the board
members for entrusting me this huge responsibility as well as to the
community advocates for being so passionately supportive.
God bless you one and all,
Levi Wingard, Ed.D.
►FULL COVERAGE FROM GOOGLE NEWS | http://bitly.com/zwv9K3
●BOARD OF CONTROL URGED FOR CHESTER UPLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
Delaware County Daily Times - Jan 6, 2012: Jeffrey E. Piccola, R-15,
of Dauphin County, urged State Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis to
declare the Chester Upland School District financially distressed and
implement a board of control to oversee the district's finances. ... http://bit.ly/xRNnRl
●SENATOR ASKS STATE TO DECLARE CHESTER UPLAND A DISTRESSED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Delaware County Daily Times - Jan 5, 2012: Jeffrey E. Piccola, R-15, of
Dauphin County, has called for Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis to
declare the Chester Upland School District a “district in financial
distress” and consider implementing a board of control to oversee the
district's ... http://bit.ly/x91GmB
●Chesco Senator Blasts Education Department: Where Will The Students Go?
Delaware County Daily Times - Jan 6, 2012: Dinniman also asked where
the students would go if the Chester Upland schools shut down. “We
cannot tell another district to accept the students … you can't force
other districts to take the students,” he said. Dinniman argued that the
only option left .. http://bit.ly/Aa86mO.
●CHESTER UPLAND EMPLOYEES TO STAY ON JOB EVEN IF DISTRICT CAN'T PAY
Delaware County Daily Times - Jan 4, 2012: By JOHN KOPP The Chester
Upland School District's employee associations announced today that they
plan to continue working as long as they are able, even if the district
fails to meet payroll. A message posted on the district's web site by
outgoing .. http://bit.ly/xOXe0s.
●COMMENTARY: BEST AND WORST EDUCATION MOMENTS OF 2011
Philadelphia Public School Notebook (blog) - Jan 5, 2012:
Chester-Upland School District One of the state's poorest districts,
Chester-Upland became the experimental playground for an ideologically
driven state takeover in 2000 that forced education management
organizations and charters upon an already .. http://bit.ly/zBF8Hz.
●PA TEACHERS WORK FOR FREE, CORPORATIONS KEEP TAX LOOPHOLE
Gather.com - Jan 6, 2012: The budget cuts to the Chester Upland School
District have already left the disadvantaged district struggling before
the loss of the more funds. Class sizes are over 40 students per
classroom and the staff has already been cut by over 40 percent to the
.. http://politics.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980997736
●TEACHERS, STAFF AT PHILLY-AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT TO STAY ON, EVEN IF IT CAN'T ...
The Republic - Jan 4, 2012 AP CHESTER, Pa. — Teachers and support
staff at a suburban Philadelphia school district say they will remain on
the job for as long as they are able even if the district is unable to
pay them. The Chester Upland School District says it cannot meet .. http://bit.ly/y7GrBc
●IN DISTRESS
Newsworks.org (blog) - Jan 5, 2012: By Shannon McDonald Chester Upland
School District is hurting, and the petitions to the state for
assistance continue. The latest comes from Sen. Jeffrey Piccola. The
Dauphin County Republican has written to Pa. Secretary of Education
Ronald Tomalis ... http://bit.ly/AaRmZ0
HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS & THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T
FIT: The Rest (but not necessarily the best) of the Stories from Other
Sources
►LA TIMES: "Many Occupy L.A. protesters arrested
during demonstrations in recent months are being offered a unique chance
to avoid court trials: pay $355 to a private company for a lesson in
free speech." | http://lat.ms/xwzfmd
4LAKids can't decide whether this is more like Comedy Traffic School or
Maoist Cultural Revolutionary re-education? "To read too many books is
harmful." - Mao Zedong
●Why are these classes being offered by a private company? ●Where is
LAUSD Adult Ed? ●Where is the Community College District? ●Where is
Sandra Day O'Connor's Civics Education initiative? ● What would Sheriff
Arpaio do?
AJA (the private company) which has a turnkey arrangement with the City
Attorney describes their program as being suitable diversion for
alcohol, drug and sex offenses. http://bit.ly/z45ICM
Free Speech Civil Disobedience v. Alcohol, Drug and Sex offenses? – Sure – 4LAKids sees the obvious comparison/connection there!
Hey, Martin Luther King could’ve just taken an online test after viewing
a DVD instead of writing his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Gandhi,
Nelson Mandela - – same plea-bargain deal! Why stick to your principles
when you solve injustice with an app?
And NotYetLAUSD tries to imagine: "… a social studies teacher in Occupy
LAUSD having to attend lessons on the limits of the constitution and
free speech. Any teacher in California has had to take the civics test
to before they are allowed in the classroom. I don't remember limited
free speech as one of the questions." | http://bit.ly/yT9a6A
Just imagine it in a John Lennony way ….only change the lyrics to make
them acceptable to the imagineers that lack imagination. http://bit.ly/zwTx11 - smf
___________________________________________
FORMER BEVERLY HILLS SCHOOLS CHIEF UNLIKELY TO LOSE PENSION: Whether he is acquitted or convicted on charges of ...
A rationale for rationing access to the Master Plan for California Education: THE 100 POINT RULE AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES... http://t.co/lFVtkLw7
Consider the source: UPDATED TEACHER OBSERVATIONS KEY TO IMPROVEMENT, REPORT SAYS + smf's 2¢: A Gates Foundation... http://t.co/istpwiYG
PLAN B FROM D.C.: cartoon by Matt Davies/Tribune Media Services | Dec 28, 2011 | http://t.co/ISI5aFje http://t.co/rOZq3LNS
LAUSD TEACHERS SPEAK OUT AFAINST CUTS: One of LAUSD's cost saving measures includes hiring back laid off teacher... http://t.co/JVpmqIPq about 12 hours ago
LAUSD TEACHERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST CUTS: One of LAUSD's cost saving measures includes hiring back laid off teacher... http://bit.ly/zS1i1A
TopEd/EdGuess:DISTRICTS GET POWER, IF NOT CASH, IN GOV’S BUDGET+SWITCH TO WEIGHTED FUNDING, LOCAL CONTROL+DARLIN... http://bit.ly/wVAdRj
VIRTUAL CHARTERS LAG BEHIND OTHER SCHOOLS' PERFORMANCE, REPORT SAYS + Report: Only 27% of for-profits operating ... http://bit.ly/zBuGJe
STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF TOM TORLAKSON COMMENTS ON GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012-13: http://1.usa.g... http://bit.ly/zLb5lZ
Save the Date: ON JAN. 17, JOIN UTLA FOR A SPECIAL EVENT WITH EDUCATION EXPERT DIANE RAVITCH: Renowned author Di... http://bit.ly/AAZ7mk
PENNSYLVANIA TEACHERS WORK FOR FREE AFTER BUDGET CUTS: “We are currently unable to fund the district’s payroll e... http://bit.ly/xmOxxV
FORMER BEVERLY HILLS USD FACILITIES DIRECTOR SENTENCED TO 4 YEARS IN PRISON: Karen Christiansen may have to repa... http://bit.ly/yfWH38
Save the date: LACOE 3rd ANNUAL STREET GANG/SCHOOL SAFETY SYMPOSIUM :: Friday Feb. 24th: email from Los Angeles ... http://bit.ly/zvgRJX
1st Look: BROWN’S NEW BUDGET PROPOSAL:: from newsreaders Education officials scramble to assess Gov. Brown's bu... http://bit.ly/x1wIP2
(Not really a) LETTER TO EMPLOYEES: from not yet lausd | http://bit.ly/AuJxuk part of the ®eform inc. group... http://bit.ly/zt1Xt5
ONLINE PRESENCE A MUST IN TOP EDUCATION SCHOLARS LIST: The 2012 RHSU/AEI Edu-Scholar Public Presence rankings: B... http://bit.ly/AmFevQ
NO, THE SCHOOL NURSE IS NOT IN: The National Association of School Nurses reports that a quarter of schools don'... http://bit.ly/wz1J0R
Poem: SHOULDERS: by Naomi Shihab Nye/Heard on The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor Thursday Jan. 5, 2012 |... http://bit.ly/wb81IL
BALLOT INITIATIVE WOULD LET CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS COUNT ONLINE ‘ATTENDANCE’ + smf’s 2¢: San Francisco Business Time... http://bit.ly/xnGDHj
HIGHLAND PARK LOCAL IS ROSE PARADE PRINCESS: Franklin High School senior Sarah Zuno is on the Tournament of Rose... http://bit.ly/vkY1Rp
LIBRARIANS RARER SIGHT IN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS: California schools have fewer librarians per student than any othe... http://bit.ly/uKDId9
PLAN B FROM D.C. cartoon by Matt Davies/Tribune Media Services | Dec 28, 2011 | http://bit.ly/yjFxR2
EVENTS: Coming up next week...
*Dates and times subject to change. ________________________________________
• SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE:
http://www.laschools.org/bond/
Phone: 213-241-5183
____________________________________________________
• LAUSD FACILITIES COMMUNITY OUTREACH CALENDAR:
http://www.laschools.org/happenings/
Phone: 213-241.8700
What can YOU do?
• E-mail, call or write your school board member:
Tamar.Galatzan@lausd.net • 213-241-6386
Monica.Garcia@lausd.net • 213-241-6180
Bennett.Kayser@lausd.net • 213-241-5555
Marguerite.LaMotte@lausd.net • 213-241-6382
Nury.Martinez@lausd.net • 213-241-6388
Richard.Vladovic@lausd.net • 213-241-6385
Steve.Zimmer@lausd.net • 213-241-6387
...or your city councilperson, mayor, the governor, member of congress,
senator - or the president. Tell them what you really think! • Find
your state legislator based on your home address. Just go to: http://bit.ly/dqFdq2 • There are 26 mayors and five county supervisors representing jurisdictions within LAUSD, the mayor of LA can be reached at mayor@lacity.org • 213.978.0600
• Call or e-mail Governor Brown: 213-897-0322 e-mail: http://www.govmail.ca.gov/
• Open the dialogue. Write a letter to the editor. Circulate these
thoughts. Talk to the principal and teachers at your local school.
• Speak with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Stay on top of education issues. Don't take my word for it!
• Get involved at your neighborhood school. Join your PTA. Serve on a School Site Council. Be there for a child.
• If you are eligible to become a citizen, BECOME ONE.
• If you a a citizen, REGISTER TO VOTE.
• If you are registered, VOTE LIKE THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT. THEY DO!.
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