Better late than never.

 

In a major victory for students and schools, the governor's revised state budget proposal includes $5 billion for schools and repays all the money owed to public education under the 2004 agreement he made with the education community but refused to honor. This is the news that California's 6.2 million students have been waiting for. It settles the school-funding lawsuit CTA filed against Gov. Schwarzenegger last August.

 

In addition, the revised state budget proposal includes an exciting opportunity to provide assistance, rather than sanctions, to schools that need help the most. At press time in mid-June, the Legislature had not yet adopted a state budget, but the governor's education funding repayment plan was not in any danger.

 

"This is a good thing for our schools and community colleges throughout California," says CTA President Barbara E. Kerr.

 

"Having all the money owed to our schools under Proposition 98 and the governor's agreement of 2004 restored to our students is the news we've been waiting for. It is especially good for those students who live in high-poverty areas and who do not speak English as a first language. Using some of the repayment money to improve learning and instruction in our schools of greatest need will help us close the achievement gap."

 

Under the revised budget proposal and lawsuit settlement, public schools will receive $5 billion due to them under Proposition 98 guarantees. The amount represents repayment of the money owed to education under the 2004 agreement with the education community as well as schools' share of new state revenues. It includes $2 billion that will be repaid in the 2006-07 proposed budget and $3 billion to be repaid over a seven-year period, starting in the 2007-08 budget year. The $3 billion would be used to help schools that are serving low-income students and English language learners.

 

Part of the money will also go to community colleges to expand career education programs and improve transfer rates to four-year colleges.

 

It has been a longtime goal of CTA to increase the resources to the schools of greatest need. The repayment dollars will be used to address the problems facing struggling California public schools, including reducing class sizes, improving teacher and principal training, increasing parental involvement and providing school counselors.

 

"The repayment of the money owed under Prop. 98 moves us forward," Kerr says. "However, we must recognize that some of it is in one-time dollars. We must now build on this commitment. Teachers look forward to working with the administration and the Legislature to determine how we provide adequate resources for our schools on a long-term basis."

 

Kerr says CTA supports the governor's $1.2 billion per-pupil block grant plan for one-time money, but believes the money should be administered at the school site by existing school site councils. "We believe teachers and parents must be included in the decision-making."

 

The governor's package does not resolve the damage that chronic underfunding has done to the nation's largest public school system. It simply gives back to schools what they were owed under state law.

 

California's public schools continue to rank 43rd in per-pupil funding, have the most overcrowded classrooms in the country, and have the fewest librarians and counselors per student. In addition, the state must hire at least 100,000 new teachers over the next 10 years.

 

But the governor's revised budget does include a healthy 5.92 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that is applied to most education programs. With additional equalization aid, some districts will receive nearly 7 percent in COLA funds.

 

Teachers from around the state are hailing the sudden prospect of schools getting badly needed funding under the governor's repayment plan.

 

In Sacramento, the funds will help protect librarians and counselors from potential layoffs in the 47,000-student Sacramento City Unified School District, says Marcie Launey, president of Sacramento City Teachers Association. "Our schools need the money because they have never really had enough funding."

 

In the Bay Area, that money could be used to restore counselor reductions and other cuts in the 31,000-student West Contra Costa Unified School District, says teacher Gail Mendes, president of United Teachers of Richmond. "By targeting our schools of greatest need, the repayment money will be used to reduce class sizes, improve teacher and principal training, and increase parental involvement," Mendes says. "These are all proven remedies for helping students."

 

In the Los Angeles area, Sarah Ross, president of Associated Pomona Teachers, says, "This money will go far towards helping our neediest students." In the 33,000-student Pomona Unified School District, nearly 73 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. The district has ended smaller classes in kindergarten and third grade, and has cut counselors and school nurses, says Ross.

 

"These funds are good news for students and teachers."