California School Finance system is unconstitutional and are robbing students of their constitutaional rights to an education. Current funding levels are unsound, unstable and insufficient.
- It is unsound in that it relies on archaic formulas that bear no relationship to the current education program or the needs of students.
- It is unstable because volatile and unpredictable funding levels prevent school districts from offering the required education programs on a continuous and consistent level.
- The funding level is insufficient to support the programs and services necessary to give all students the opportunity to become proficient in the state’s academic standards.
This problem could be answered by an increase in the state basic education subsidy, and by dedicating a larger share of funds derived from the state’s income tax revenue. Given time, this change in funding could provide real local property tax relief. Education is mandated by state law, yet it is funded in large part with local property tax. All Californians benefit from the education that is provided by our local schools, yet our district will pay tens of thousands of dollars to educate someone who may end up working in and contributing to the economy in another area in California. Why should the bulk of those costs be borne by local taxpayers, many who are on fixed incomes?
This is personal. Our schools and the future of our community are at stake. The state’s basic education subsidy must be increased so that it returns to where it would have been with the amount that was supplanted by federal funds included, plus an increment for inflation. We cannot continue to support political figures who gut our schools while refusing to tax industries which are removing resources from our state, industries that are using our highways and water treatment systems and using the students produced by our schools.
Our schools are our future. Politicians who destroy our schools are not.