To raise awareness of public education’s plight, teachers and administrators at Siskiyou County schools are handing out informational fliers detailing the tremendous State funding cuts expected for next year.
Mount Shasta Union School District and Weed Elementary School District superintendent Gary Lampella said the fliers were compiled by the Siskiyou County Education Coalition and are backed by school districts across the county and the California Teacher’s Association.
“The goal is to arm parents with information and knowledge,” Lampella said of the fliers, which have been circulating around the county for about two weeks.
“Education has taken more than it’s fair share of funding hits,” Lampella said. “We are dealing with significant cuts to education that will directly affect student performance and learning.”
More than $17 billion has been cut from California’s public schools and colleges in the last two years, the flier states. Siskiyou County schools have lost over $13.2 million during that time.
Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal would impose another $2.5 billion in cuts this coming year, of which $1.3 million would fall on Siskiyou County schools.
Kindergarten through twelfth grade schools have suffered 60 percent of the state ‘s total budget cuts, which “hurt a generation of children,” according to the flier. California already ranks 46th nationally in per-pupil spending.
As a result of the cuts, class sizes are increasing at all grade levels. More than 29,000 layoff notices were sent to educators this year. More than 16,000 of California’s teachers and education support professionals have lost their jobs.
Summer school has been cancelled in districts across the state, and cutbacks were made to art, music, vocational education, sports, electives, library and physical education programs. Changes have also been made to the number of school days, custodial services, classroom supplies, transportation services and school nursing services.
The flier also explains that Siskiyou County schools received $2.1 million in one-time federal stimulus funding, which has offset some of the state’s funding cuts. These federal stimulus funds must be spent by Sept. 30, 2011, and once they’re spent, schools will feel the full effect of the loss of state funding.
The fliers encourage concerned parents to contact their state legislators to urge them to fight cuts to education, Lampella explained.“School districts across the state are struggling to survive... we’re doing the best we can with what funding we have. More cuts would make everything extremely difficult.”
Senator Sam Aanestad can be contacted at the State Capitol, Room 3063, Sacramento, Calif., 95814, or by phone at (916) 651-4004.
Assembly Member Jim Nielson can be contacted at 280 Hemsted Drive, Redding, Calif., 96002, or by phone at (530) 223-6300.
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To raise awareness of public education’s plight, teachers and administrators at Siskiyou County schools are handing out informational fliers detailing the tremendous State funding cuts expected for next year.
Mount Shasta Union School District and Weed Elementary School District superintendent Gary Lampella said the fliers were compiled by the Siskiyou County Education Coalition and are backed by school districts across the county and the California Teacher’s Association.
“The goal is to arm parents with information and knowledge,” Lampella said of the fliers, which have been circulating around the county for about two weeks.
“Education has taken more than it’s fair share of funding hits,” Lampella said. “We are dealing with significant cuts to education that will directly affect student performance and learning.”
More than $17 billion has been cut from California’s public schools and colleges in the last two years, the flier states. Siskiyou County schools have lost over $13.2 million during that time.
Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal would impose another $2.5 billion in cuts this coming year, of which $1.3 million would fall on Siskiyou County schools.
Kindergarten through twelfth grade schools have suffered 60 percent of the state ‘s total budget cuts, which “hurt a generation of children,” according to the flier. California already ranks 46th nationally in per-pupil spending.
As a result of the cuts, class sizes are increasing at all grade levels. More than 29,000 layoff notices were sent to educators this year. More than 16,000 of California’s teachers and education support professionals have lost their jobs.
Summer school has been cancelled in districts across the state, and cutbacks were made to art, music, vocational education, sports, electives, library and physical education programs. Changes have also been made to the number of school days, custodial services, classroom supplies, transportation services and school nursing services.
The flier also explains that Siskiyou County schools received $2.1 million in one-time federal stimulus funding, which has offset some of the state’s funding cuts. These federal stimulus funds must be spent by Sept. 30, 2011, and once they’re spent, schools will feel the full effect of the loss of state funding.
The fliers encourage concerned parents to contact their state legislators to urge them to fight cuts to education, Lampella explained.“School districts across the state are struggling to survive... we’re doing the best we can with what funding we have. More cuts would make everything extremely difficult.”
Senator Sam Aanestad can be contacted at the State Capitol, Room 3063, Sacramento, Calif., 95814, or by phone at (916) 651-4004.
Assembly Member Jim Nielson can be contacted at 280 Hemsted Drive, Redding, Calif., 96002, or by phone at (530) 223-6300.
