January 8 — Already ranked a dismal 46th in the nation in per pupil spending last year, the California public education budget has fallen to 47th among the states, according to the respected annual report on the nation's public schools produced by Education Week, "Quality Counts."  View the report online.

The Education Coalition (which includes the CFT, along with other education unions, management organizations, and the state PTA) issued the following statement:

California Gets an “F” for School Spending, According to Education Week Survey

State Drops in National Rankings of Per-Pupil Funding to 47th in the Country, Slipping Closer to Dead Last

As our state's leaders meet to discuss further slashing funding for public schools that have already been subjected to crippling cuts, the respected non-partisan national publication Education Week released its annual "Quality Counts" survey of public education, showing California dropping further in the rankings of per-pupil funding, now ranking 47th in the nation.

Adjusted for cost of living, California spends $7,571 per student, compared to $9,963 per student nationally. With our state's students shortchanged by an average of nearly $2,400 per pupil, the survey gave California an "F" in the category of school spending.

The mid-year cuts imposed upon our state's schools, which were not included in the study's results, have further compounded the problems resulting from California's abysmal school funding rankings.

As a result, schools across California have begun to lay off teachers, custodians, food service workers, bus drivers and others, as well as cutting other services critical to student learning.  See: L.A. Times (1/6/09), "LA Unified May Lay Off Almost 2,300 Teachers, Officials Say," Daily Press (1/6/09), "70 teachers to be laid off in Hesperia," King City Rustler (1/02/09), "Union speaks out against proposed bus, janitorial cuts."

California already has some of the most overcrowded classrooms and the greatest shortages of librarians, school nurses, counselors and other critical support staff in the nation.

Without new revenues, the consequences for California's schools and students will be catastrophic, shortchanging an entire generation of students of the quality education they deserve.

Please visit www.protectourstudents.org for other articles and information about the impact of cuts to schools.