For Immediate Release
Contact: Hilary McLean
Hilary@ALZAmedia.com
California Association of Suburban School Districts Announce Budget and Policy Priorities for 2022 Legislative Session
Sacramento – The California Association of Suburban School Districts (CALSSD) announced their budget and policy priorities for the upcoming legislative session in a letter sent to Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate pro Tem Atkins and Assembly Speaker Rendon. CALSSD urges the Governor and the legislature to take steps to accelerate student learning, support efforts to meet the array of challenges that students continue to face from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure fiscal stability of suburban school districts.
“Addressing the impact of the pandemic on student learning and well-being will take sustained effort and support for educators and the programs and services needed to meet the needs of the close to 6 million children and youth in California’s public schools,” the letter noted.
CALSSD’s policy and budget recommendations to address important student needs in the upcoming legislative session are:
- Adhere to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and Provide A Base Funding Increase.
- Establish Adjustments and Graduated Decrease of ADA Funding.
- Use State Revenue Surplus to Address the Jump in Employer Pension Rates.
- Increase Special Education Funding.
- Sustain Funding to Address Student Well-Being and Mental Health.
- Fund Implementation of Expanded Transitional Kindergarten
- Improve Funding for Home to School Transportation.
Suburban schools serve a diverse population of 2.6 million students in more than 260 school districts in California; approximately equal to the number of students in California’s urban schools. Fifty-two percent of suburban students are Latinx, 24% are White, 10% are Asian American, 5% are Black or African American, 4% are multi-racial and 3% are Pacific islander or Filipino. In one-quarter of suburban districts, 75% of all students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, and in 15% of suburban districts the rates of student homelessness are more than double the statewide rate.. In about 10% of suburban districts, more than one-third of students are English Learners who may need extensive instructional resources. (Beyond the White Picket Fence: Suburban Schools in California. California Education Lab, UC Davis School of Education, March 2021)
The California Association of School Districts (CALSSD) is a statewide coalition of districts that advocates for policies and funding to improve education for students in suburban schools. Member districts include:
Carlsbad Unified School District * Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District * El Dorado Union High School District * Elk Grove Unified School District * Folsom Cordova Unified School District * Fremont Union High School District * Glendale Unified School District * Irvine Unified School District * Laguna Beach Unified School District * Las Virgenes Unified School District * Madera Unified School District * Modesto City Schools * Morgan Hill Unified School District * Oceanside Unified School District * Ontario-Montclair School District * Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District * Poway Unified School District * Rocklin Unified School District * Roseville City School District * Roseville Joint Union High School District * Rowland Unified School District * San Juan Unified School District * San Ramon Valley Unified School District * Santa Barbara Unified School District * Santa Clara Unified School District * Tustin Unified School District * Vista Unified School District
Modesto City Schools, serves as the Lead District for CALSSD
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