Federal Funding At Risk: Letters Needed

This blog has focused primarily on the challenge of adequate state funding  - but federal funding is also at issue and at risk.

More on this later, for now, here is information about letters needed immediately.

Help Stop Devastating Federal Education Budget Cuts

Please Send Your Letter to California's Congressional Members Today

The risk is real. Unless Congress takes action before January 1, 2013, California will lose more than 8.2% in federal funding for education programs across the board. No programs is sacred. Cuts will occur in every single program from Pre-K to postsecondary education. Title I, Special Education, Impact Aid, Carl Perkins and many more programs will receive an automatic 8.2% cut within the next California fiscal year (2013-2014) unless Congress reverses course on the Budget Control Act.

This week members of Congress will be debating how to address tax cuts and sequestration before reaching the so called "fiscal cliff."

Click here to view a sample letter and ACSA's letter to Congress. Please take the time to share how a 8.2% cut will impact your students.

Send a personalized letter today by clicking here

http://gr.acsa.org/acsa/issues/alert/?alertid=62192781

One More Mountain

Next on the horizon:

WSF and negotiating how that plays out for Adult Ed.

Click the "read more" link to learn more.

Giving Thanks

Tomorrow's Thanksgiving!

And we have a lot to be thankful for.

Hit the "read more" link to read about it.

What Happens Next?

Post-Prop 30 webcast

The passage of Prop 30 will have big ramification for school districts. On Thursday, at 2 p.m., you can hear the perspectives of key policymakers and state experts in a webinar hosted by School Services of California, Inc., the Sacramento-based education consulting firm.

Panelists will include Joel Montero, CEO, Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team (FCMAT); Molly McGee Hewitt, executive director, California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO); Rick Simpson, deputy chief of staff, Assembly Speaker’s Office; John Gray, executive vice president, School Services of California and Robert Miyashiro, vice president, School Services of California. A link to the webcast will also be available directly from School Service of California’s homepage.

No login information is required. An archive will also be available on Friday on the homepage.

Prop 30 Passed!

This is the short version.

Prop 30 passed!!!

No trigger cuts!!!

Today's a day for celebration!

I was about to add "for those who value public education" when I thought... no, it's a day of celebration for everyone because public education benefits EVERYONE.

Enjoy! 

Edsource article on Prop 30 win, analyzing how and why.

SF Chronicle article on Prop 30 win.

LA Times article on Prop 30 win.

And... it appears that Dems will most likely have a supermajority in the State House.  This will change things up where the budget is concerned.  Traditionally, a big part of the struggle about education has been how to pay for it.  Republicans resist an increase in taxes to fund education.  They will not be able to stonewall now.  On the other hand, Gov. Brown has said he will only increase taxes if the people vote for it. 

Of course...  EVERYONE in the State House could work TOGETHER to find a way to fund, support and improve public education.  A good idea considering public education benefits EVERYONE, not just Democrats. 

And not just Democrats value it, either. 

Working together is hard but valuable.

Let's do it.

In It Together

Well, it's almost here... election time. 

Some school boards have passed resolutions in support of  Prop 30.

Ours has not.  That doesn't mean it is against Prop 30.  It just means it didn't vote on a formal recommendation.

We here at the San Mateo Adult School cannot tell you how to vote.

We can tell you there will be big - very big - trigger cuts if Prop 30 does not pass.

But we cannot tell you how to vote.

And indeed, perhaps if it fails, some other way to educate Californians would emerge - public, private, good, or bad.

I don't know.

I am here to talk about something else:

Hit the "read more" link to find out what.

A Call To Action

City College is in big trouble.

On top of the budget cuts all schools face if Prop 30 doesn't pass,

it is struggling with ongoing budget problems, accreditation problems,

and, I would add, a general lack of understanding of how public education is funded, how things work at CCSF (and why), and how and why every branch of public education is crisis.

Last last Thursday night, Oct 25th, at a Board meeting that went past midnight, the Board voted to appoint a Special Trustee with full veto powers, to oversee more cuts and changes.

Many people - Faculty, Students, Community Members - are unhappy about what happened and how.

Here is their response:  A Call To Action.

Will you join them?

You are invited to participate in a public education event to which the press has been invited.

WHAT: City College Takes Back the Truth!

WHEN: Thursday, November 1 at 1 p.m. Assemble at 12:45 and end by 1:30.

WHERE: Steps just below the front entrance to the Science Hall under the engraving in stone:

“The Truth Shall Make You Free”

WHY: The ongoing economic crisis is destroying public education. We must take it back along with the truth.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Wear black (for mourning) or red (for rebirth).

Bring a book you love and/or the book for your next class.

Participate peacefully, respectfully, and calmly.

You will receive participation instructions at the event.

Click on this link to see the AFT 2121 flyer. Please post and encourage people, especially students, to attend this event.

 http://on.fb.me/TRAKeJ