Are these really the headlines we should see in one of the wealthiest counties in the state?
SFUSD expects budget cuts despite funding boost in coming school year
SFUSD Gets Big Funding Boost, But Still Expects Cuts
Evaluating San Francisco County schools’ Local Control Funding Formula or LCFF target funding suggests that the district is experiencing approximately the levels of financial pain shown below (above and beyond the general pain described in West-Ed’s “Silent Recession”).
Across the high-cost counties we’ve reviewed, this pain is generally reflected in multiple measures including less-experienced staff, higher staff turnover, less support staff, fewer enrichment programs (unless supported by external funding sources), perennial budget shortfalls, lower reserves, larger schools, larger class sizes, lower salary structures, antagonistic relationships between trustees, parents, unions, and staff. It is often worse, however, in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage, since the fixed Federal free-or-reduced-price-lunch cut-off excludes many high-needs students from LCFF student-need supplementation who are experiencing housing-related poverty.
When $415 million of Excess Educational Revenue was revealed last November, there was something interesting about it. Here is the Assessor’s Press Release. What doesn’t it mention? That the funding that’s been discovered was earmarked for schools. Fortunately, SF Chronicle reporters were on the job and described how $415 million of “excess” Educational Revenue was being redirected to the City to spend.
Wonder how districts are educating their communities and taking action? See Redwood City's flyer here. Let us know if you would like one for your community here.
Time to make an imPACT!
Please contact your state legislators. Here is the state search tool to find them. Their details are below. Rally friends to make a bigger imPACT!
- Email is nice -- tell them how your school is hurting and how you want them to “support a regional cost supplement to the Local Control Funding Formula in the May Revise.” (They’ll be impressed.)
- A phone call is better -- ask their office if they are supporting a regional cost supplement for your school district -- share a personal story and tell them where they can find more information (here!) if they ask.
- Tweet to your representatives -- ask if they will stand up for your schools and your students and support a regional cost supplement! Tag #MakeAnImPACT and @EducateOurState
- Fax your legislators' offices -- phone calls and faxes are always heard. Get your friends to all do it together for a bigger imPACT.
Now dig deeper! Whom do you know in the Education Community? An education researcher at Cal, Stanford, UC Irvine, UCSD or USC? A school board member? Send them an email, too, and link to this site. We need to influence the influencers!
Still willing to work to help your kids, grandkids, neighborhood kids AND the kids on the other side of the tracks in your county? Please, put this on Facebook and Twitter, talk at your school PTA meeting, address your school board. We are here to help -- just reach out to us here and let us know.
WRITE, EMAIL, TWEET and CALL
DAVID CHIU Assembly District 17 https://a17.asmdc.org/ Capitol Office, Room 4112, Sacramento, CA 94249-0017; (916) 319-2017 District Office 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14300, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 557-3013
Twitter: @DavidChiu
PHIL TING Assembly District 19 https://a19.asmdc.org/ Capitol Office, Room 6026, Sacramento, CA 94249-0019; (916) 319-2019 ; District Office 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14600, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 557-2312
Twitter: @PhilTing
SCOTT WIENER: State Senate District 11 https://sd11.senate.ca.gov Capitol Office State Capitol, Room 5100, Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4011; District Office 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14800, San Francisco, CA 94102; (415) 557-1300
Twitter: @Scott_Wiener
