In January 2010, Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger highlighted the
importance of education to the economic
prosperity of the state by taking two
specific steps:
Constitutional Amendment to
Increase Higher Education Funding
proposed
Race to the Top legislation signed
Education has been a primary thrust
throughout the Governor's term and both
of the actions above reflect a substantial
realignment of California's priorities.
Constitutional Amendment to Increase
Higher Education Funding
On January 6, 2010, Governor
Schwarzenegger delivered his annual
State of the State address before a joint
session of the California Legislature. A key
component of his agenda shifting funding
from prisons to universities.
California universities are known globally
as the crown jewel of California's education
system. Until recent years, California's
priorities were clear: the state dedicated
approximately 10 percent of its General
Fund to higher education and just three
percent on prisons. Today, California
spends more than 10 percent on prisons
and seven percent on higher education.
"Spending 45 percent more on prisons
than universities is no way to proceed
into the future," said the Governor in his
address. "What does it say about a state
that focuses more on prison uniforms than
caps and gowns? It simply is not healthy."
The Governor is proposing to change
California's constitution to permanently
ensure that this never happens again and
announced that he would work to protect
California's schools and to shield higher
education from further cuts. Specifically, he
proposed a constitutional amendment to ensure
California cannot spend a greater
percentage of General Fund (GF) dollars on
its prisons than on higher education.
Under the Governor's initiative, no less
than ten percent of GF dollars would be
allocated to fund public institutions of
higher education and no more than seven
percent would be allocated to support
the state prison system. These mandatory
limits would begin in the 2014-15 fiscal
year.
Beginning in 2014, the Legislature would
be able to apply other available resources
to ensure that public institutions of
higher education are fully funded at
no less than 10 percent of the General
Fund expenditures. The amendment
also provides flexibility by allowing the
Governor or Legislature to suspend the
mandate or modify funding levels during
a fiscal emergency or other declared
emergency or by a two-thirds vote of the
Legislature. Unlike measures that create
future debt, if a suspension is ordered by
the Governor or Legislature no debt would
be created.
This proposed constitutional amendment
will be submitted by the Governor to
the Legislature and requires passage of a
California ballot proposition by voters. An
amendment may be placed on the ballot
by either a two-thirds vote in the California
State Legislature or signatures equal to 8%
of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.
Race to the Top
A concerted, collaborative effort among
California's Assembly, Senate, and the
Governor's Office culminated in the
signing of Race to the Top legislation to
improve California schools and to keep
California competitive for a share of $4.3
billion in federal Race to the Top education
grants.
This comprehensive legislation advances
significant education reforms and helped
the state meet the January 19, 2010
application deadline for Race to the Top.
The legislation followed statewide hearings
and meetings with stakeholders required
by Race to the Top rules. The legislation
includes higher standards for mathematics
and language, real tools for teachers
at low-performing schools, increased
intervention for consistently troubled
schools, stronger parental involvement and
greater ability for students in the lowest
performing schools to transfer to higher
performing schools.
The legislation includes the establishment
of the "Science, Technology, Engineering,
Math, and Career Technical Education
Educator Credentialing Program," which
is intended to provide alternative
routes to credentialing in accordance
with the guidelines for the federal Race
to the Top Fund. It would require the
Commission on Teacher Credentialing
and the Committee on Accreditation to
develop a process to authorize additional
"high-quality alternative route educator
preparation programs" provided by school
districts, county offices of education,
community-based organizations, and
nongovernmental organizations. In
addition, Race to the Top enhances the
ability to use student performance to
evaluate teachers and replace up to 50% of
the staff in the lowest performing schools.
This legislation embraces challenging
national common core standards, ushers
in a new process for assisting lowest
performing schools and emphasizes
relying on data in making instructional
decisions.
With the enactment of this legislation,
the state of California is positioned to
submit a competitive Race to the Top grant
application for a potential $700 million in
federal funding.
