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California is deciding on our budget soon!

The California State Legislature will be voting on our state’s budget in the next two weeks. Because of COVID-19, we’re facing some large budget cuts when it comes to education, BUT there’s an opportunity to win some key pieces in the budget and actually leave many school districts in a better financial position than before.

Here’s how you can support:

Call your Assembly member and State Senator! Not sure how to contact them or who represents your district? Find your representatives using your address here.

After you’ve found them and have their contact info, be sure to ask them support our students and pass an equitable budget. Check out the script below for an example.

Call Script:

Hi, my name is [name] with [organization], in [city].

I am a student/parent/community member. (Feel free to share a bit about your organization and who your org serves serve. Also note if you are a voter in their district.)

With the  state budget vote coming up, I’m calling to urge [Assembly member/Senator name] to make sure the they prioritize our students with highest needs by supporting the following 4 things in the state budget:

1) Distribute the $2.9 billion of federal relief funds to address Learning Loss according to each district’s share of supplemental and concentration funds statewide.

2) Don’t cut LCFF dollars.

3) Ensure that our school districts have a meaningful community engagement process on how the money should be spent, and

4) Allocate $100 million for community schools.

This moment has highlighted many of the disparities in our schools and communities. This crisis is not being experienced the same, and we call on the legislature to invest in equity for California’s young people through our priorities. Thank you.

[End of script]

Background on the CA Budget

In the Governor’s revised May budget, we are facing $54 billion in cuts, and $19 billion of that is coming from education.

There was also a proposed 10% cut to Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) dollars but because of the advocacy and organizing of our communities, the State Senate voted to reject the 10% cuts to LCFF! This was a huge victory but we still have more to do. The California Partnership for Future of Learning has put forth 5 demands for the Budget vote and we need all hands on deck to call and push both the Assembly and Senate to advance these items in their budget.

1. Money needs to go to our schools equitably!

   California is getting $2.9 billion of emergency funds from the CARES Act that goes towards “Learning Loss.” We need to make sure that money is distributed EQUITABLY (not equally) to our schools. We call on our assembly members and senators to distribute those $2.9 Billion according to each district’s share of “Supplemental & Concentration” funds statewide (not total LCFF Funds like the Senate currently proposes).

2. Don’t cut LCFF dollars.

   The Senate voted not to cut LCFF dollars, let’s keep it that way!

3. Ensure Community Engagement and input in how the money is spent.

   The people most impacted need to be a part of the solution. Our students and families know what we need right now. We want to make sure there’s clear and explicit language in the budget that ensures our districts are engaging us in the budget & what coming back to school should look like. Right now, we hear that the counties and districts are planning without us.

4. Ensure Accountability for Use of Prop 98 Funds and Federal CARES Funds.

   We want clear language that makes sure all state and federal dollars  prioritize highest needs students and an accountability plan to measure effectiveness in addressing learning loss for those students

5. Provide $100 Million of Support to Community Schools.

   We need to invest in models of schools that recognize and meet the complex needs of students and partner with community to address those needs. The Governor had $100 million in his May Revise for Community Schools, but the $100 million bucket was withdrawn from the Senate budget. We want to fight to win it back.