The four most recent occupants of the White House have sounded similar themes on education.
"Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards, a results-oriented system—all of these have got to be out there on the table."
President George H.W. Bush
(Remarks at the education summit in Charlottesville, Va., Sept. 27, 1989)
"All successful schools have followed the same formula: higher standards, more accountability, so all children can reach those standards."
President Bill Clinton
(State of the Union Address, Jan. 27, 2000)
"We will insist on high standards and accountability because we believe that every schools should teach and every child can learn."
President George W. Bush
(Presidential radio address, Jan. 3, 2004)
"We're seeing what children from all walks of life can and will achieve when we set high standards, have high expectations, when we do a good job preparing them. ... [W]e will cultivate a new culture of accountability in schools."
Governor's budget would be a major setback for schools
'Staggering' cuts trouble educators
By Bruce Lieberman, Sherry Saavedra and Tanya Sierra
STAFF WRITERS
January 13, 2008
SAN DIEGO – The budget cut respite, if there ever was one, is over.
Public school officials said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed cuts in education funding for 2008-09 would reach deep into classrooms.
Last week, the governor proposed cutting more than $5.6 billion from education budgets in fiscal 2008-09. He called for a $400 million “midyear” cut this year.
According to Schwarzenegger's office and state education officials, the cuts would be distributed this way:
K-12 school districts would lose $360 million this year in a “midyear” cut and $4.4 billion more in fiscal 2008-09, which begins July 1.
The state's community colleges would lose $40 million in a midyear cut and $484 million more in 2008-09.
The University of California system would have to cut $332 million in 2008-09.
The California State University system would face a $312.9 million decrease in 2008-09
Cuts within California's public colleges and universities could result in fee hikes for San Diego County's college students.
Many K-12 school districts said they have only begun to recover from slashed budgets in the early 2000s, and this would push them backward once again.
“That is truly a staggering figure for us,” said Robyn Phillips, associate superintendent for business services at Oceanside Unified School District.
Phillips' district is already making some cuts, including eliminating temporary teaching positions and some high school class sections. Oceanside Unified has also imposed a hiring freeze on all nonessential positions to prepare for the state shortfall. A $4.4 billion state budget cut in 2008-09 would amount to $700 less per student, or $14 million less in the budget, Phillips said.“We're very concerned, as are all San Diego County school districts,” she said.
Kelli Moors, Carlsbad Unified School District trustee and San Diego County School Boards Association vice president, said it's unclear how public school districts can meet Schwarzenegger's call for a $360 million midyear cut. “We've already committed to budgets for the year, to contracts for teachers, class (offerings) and other purchases.”
At the Poway Unified School District, cuts made between 2001 and 2005 resulted in bigger classes, dropped programs and reduced hours for custodians and administrators, said Superintendent Don Phillips. Some budget items were restored last year.“Now we'll have to roll back that and a good deal more,” he said.
Proposed cuts to the community college system in 2008-09 would leave its 109 colleges unable to serve an estimated 52,000 new students, said Diane Woodruff, the system's chancellor. Community colleges enroll more than three-fourths of public higher education students in the county.
The San Diego Community College District has scheduled a series of meetings this week to discuss budget cuts. Chancellor Constance Carroll estimates that the district would have to make roughly $1.5 million in midyear budget cuts – affecting plans for new programs in engineering, biotechnology and nursing.
At the University of California, a statement issued from the president's office last week suggested that student fees will again be raised – by at least 7 percent.
UC San Diego officials said they would not speculate on how the proposed cuts might affect their campus because budget decisions are made by the regents.
To make $332 million in proposed cuts, the system could limit enrollment and cut funding for research, student services, academic support and public-services programs.
A 7 percent fee increase would amount to about $500, said UCSD student Dorothy Young, 20.“It means taking on another job,” Young said.
The governor's proposed cuts would likely result in a 10 percent fee increase during the next academic year for most of the 450,000 California State University students. Students saw a 10 percent fee increase this academic year.“Ten percent's the breaking point for some students,” said James Poet, San Diego State's student government president.
Claudia Keith, assistant vice chancellor for public affairs for the CSU system, said the budget proposal could mean cuts to classes and could affect employee compensation.
“Bottom line, we would have to reopen all of our labor union contracts, including the one with faculty,” she said.Janet Powell, president of the Cal State San Marcos faculty union, said that would be one of the biggest fallouts.
“That would just be heart-wrenching,” she said. “We were days away from a strike at the Cal State San Marcos campus last year.”
Bruce Lieberman: (760) 476-8205; bruce.lieberman@uniontrib.com
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