For Immediate Release
CA Suburban School Districts Association Responds to Governor Newsom’s Proposed Budget
Sacramento – The California Association of Suburban School Districts (CALSSD) today issued the following statement in response to the proposed budget for 2022-23 which was introduced by Governor Newsom today. The statement is attributed to Dr. Sara Noguchi, Superintendent of Modesto City Schools, which is the lead district for CALSSD:
“Given the extraordinary challenges that schools, students, parents and families continue to face while the COVID-19 pandemic endures, we applaud the Governor’s proposal to amend the LCFF calculation so that schools can provide continuity of important educational services while also navigating extreme and unanticipated declines in enrollment and attendance. As this proposal is considered by legislative leaders, we are glad to provide perspectives on how it would impact suburban school districts and our efforts to serve all students during the ongoing public health emergency.
“We are also encouraged that the Governor proposes to continue investing in early childhood education and the full implementation of Transitional Education (TK). Making TK universally available will give all learners a beneficial learning foundation that will support their future success in all subject areas and serve as a springboard for their education journey. The proposed additional investment to reduce student-to-adult staffing ratios will also further support the quality of our TK programs.
“The need for special education services and other programs critical to support all students has grown in many districts across the state. We look forward to reviewing the Governor’s proposals for addressing the costs of these integral services when more detail is available.
“Similarly, the proposal to increase funding for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program is welcomed to support all students, particularly those who experienced interruptions in their learning during the pandemic. Since the state and nationwide staffing shortage has presented challenges for some districts in their efforts to implement this program, we will look carefully at the details and provide feedback on this proposal once the trailer bill is released.”
Suburban schools serve a diverse student population of 2.6 million students in California. CALSSD is a statewide coalition of districts that advocates for policies and funding to improve education for students in suburban schools.
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