The following information has been reprinted from California State PTA’s October 3, 2008 Legislation Information Alert.

As you are most likely aware, after initially threatening to veto the state budget package, the Governor negotiated some modifications with the Legislature and recently signed the budget into law.

While we are all relieved that the state finally has a budget in place – more than 80 days later than required – it is still not a budget for which Californians can be proud. It does not do nearly enough to set our state on a course that will fund our education system or support our children at the levels needed in order for Californians and our economy to continue to flourish in the future.

The children in school right now deserve the resources necessary to provide them with a world-class education. Leaders in Sacramento have acknowledged that this budget deal simply passes along our severe budget problems into the next year. Parts of the package, such as borrowing from future state lottery proceeds, will also require voter approval in a special statewide election.

For more information about this budget, you can go to http://www.cbp.org/documents/0809_finalbudget.pdf for an analysis prepared by the California Budget Project.

Even though we are disappointed by this budget deal, we can be proud as an organization that so many of our parents and volunteers throughout the state made their voices heard on behalf of children. Without PTA’s voice, and the support of our partners in the education community, schools would have been cut even deeper in this budget.

We want to personally commend the nearly one-million volunteers members of PTA across California for all of your amazing effort during this past year to make our legislators and the public more aware of the vital need to stand up for children. Thank you for your dedication from January all the way through September. You have helped send the message loud and clear that California must invest more, not less, in our children’s future.

We also want to assure you that we will continue to push for serious school funding and education reform. For instance, this month we will be releasing a special edition of PTA in California devoted to helping our members learn more about long-term reform issues. In addition, many ideas and efforts are already being discussed in Sacramento and around the state so that we never again suffer through another budget year and budget process like this one, (understanding that, because of this year’s budget deal, we already know we’ll be faced with a deficit for next year’s budget).

The work that all of you have done this past year to advocate for children has been powerful! You have helped build a foundation for longer term reform that will enable us to advance our mission. This will require continued persistence.

Thank you for all of your hard work and all that you continue to do for children!

To receive this and other Legislation Information Alerts from the California State PTA, please send your name and e-mail address to Leginfo@capta.org.

The September 2008 issue of the PTA in California newsletter has been published by California State PTA. This back to school issue includes articles about the value of PTA, father involvement in PTA, CAPTA’s 2008 adopted resolutions and their call to action, this year’s membership challenge, PTA grants, and much more.

The new school year is quickly approaching, and you’re probably thinking about how to start off the new year with enthusiasm. If you’re looking for ideas or resources to help you get going, you may be interested in checking out The Communicator.

The Communicator is a subscription publication of the California State PTA, and is a camera-ready resource with leadership, convention, program, financial, and lots of other information to help you at the unit and council level. It includes a number of single-page resources ready to go into your latest newsletter, hand out at your next meeting, or file for reference in your procedure book.

You can subscribe to The Communicator in print form for $12.50 per year or as a CD (with individual PDFs) for $10 per year, or you can download it for free online; there are typically about five issues per year.

We hope that you find it useful. If you have any feedback, let us know and we’ll pass it along to State PTA.

The following are a series of Legislation Information Alerts sent out by the California State PTA. To receive these and other Legislation Information Alerts, please send your name and e-mail address to leginfo@capta.org.

State Budget Slashes Summer Schools

Today members of the Education Coalition, including Cynthia Clark, Principal of McClatchy High School; David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools; Paul H. Chatman, President of the California School Boards Association; Dana Dillon of the California Teachers Association; Pat Dingsdale of the California State PTA; and Dean Murakami, President Los Rios College Federation of Teachers-AFT Local 2279 joined State Superintendent Jack O’Connell for a press conference to detail the devastating impact of budget cuts on summer school programs.

According to the California Department of Education, many school districts are cutting remediation summer classes, as well as enrichment and achievement programs. At Sacramento’s McClatchy High School, where the press conference was held, there are 200 fewer students enrolled this year in summer school programs compared to last year.

“The elimination of summer school courses threatens to significantly affect students already behind in their schoolwork because they will miss out on the chance to catch up on their peers over the summer break,” O’Connell said. “Some districts that offer summertime intervention programs for English learners cannot afford to keep their classrooms open. Even schools that are just scaling back what they offer will begin offering classes only to students who need to complete courses in order to graduate. This means that students looking to get ahead or improve their grade point average will not be able to do so.”

To learn more, please visit: www.protectourstudents.org.

Pat Dingsdale (California State PTA) joins State Superintendent Jack O’Connell in Sacramento to talk about the impact of budget cuts on summer school programs.

Education Coalition Launches Statewide Radio Ad Campaign

Sacramento – Today the Education Coalition released a statewide radio ad campaign to urge the Governor and lawmakers to invest in education and to find common-sense budget solutions that increase revenues. Transcripts of the ads are below, and audio versions can be found on the web site at www.protectourstudents.org. “The Education Coalition wants our elected leaders to know that the time has come to put aside partisan politics and to invest in our children’s future,” said David A. Sanchez, President of the California Teachers Association. “Delaying and cutting school funding through the state budget process only hurts our students.” “Our state leaders need to put our students’ education at the top of their agenda, and pass a responsible budget that rejects cuts to schools,” said Pam Brady, President of the California State PTA. “We need to give students the tools and resources they need to succeed. The time to act is now.” “Schools are already suffering from the impact of cuts and delayed funding,” said Paul H. Chatman, President of the California School Boards Association. “It’s time to move forward and invest in our kids. California business leaders say the best way to improve our economy is to make sure we have a well-educated work force – let’s work together to achieve that goal.”

http://www.protectourstudents.org/education-coalition-launched-statewide-radio-ad-campaign/

AB 2115 (Mullin) would require members of charter school governing boards to comply with the same conflict of interest laws as other public officials, including school board members. The bill would also establish minimum eligibility criteria for charter school board members. The bill would prohibit charter school employees from serving on their governing boards.

The California State PTA supports this bill and urges its districts, councils and units to contact their state senators to urge passage of AB 2115. You should contact them by fax or phone. The California State PTA supports the bill because AB 2115 is consistent with a general principle of the California State PTA that supports adherence to strict ethical practices at all levels of government. Further, the prohibition on charter school employees serving on their governing boards should increase the opportunity for greater parental and community involvement in the governance of charter schools.
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PTA Connects is State PTA’s monthly e-mail newsletter which contains news updates and links to numerous resources that are available to PTA officers and members. This month’s issue includes a Convention recap, Flunk the Budget info, and resources for Summer Planning. For more, download the May 2008 PTA Connects [PDF]. You can also subscribe to PTA Connects by e-mailing PTAConnectsenews@capta.org and typing “Subscribe” (without quotes) in the Subject line.