Governor Brown's Budget: Good for Schools?

Earlier this week, Governor Jerry Brown released his budget blueprint. After years of terrible cuts to California schools and other services, the state still faces a monstrous deficit of $25 billion over the next 18 months. In order to bridge that gap, Brown proposes a budget that relies on 50% program cuts and 50% revenue solutions.

The Governor recognized that K-12 “education has borne a disproportionate share of budget reductions in recent years” and proposes insulating schools from further cuts next year. The plan only succeeds, however, if voters support (in June) extending the tax increases that were put in place two years ago and are scheduled to expire this year. Doing so would provide $8 billion in revenue each year for the next 5 years. If these measures do not pass, schools would be faced with devastating additional cuts, the specifics of which are not known at this time.

Another part of the Governor's proposal would extend budget flexibility for two more years. This is important, because the Berryessa School District has saved nearly $2 million this year based on categorical program flexibility, reduced requirements for routine and deferred maintenance budgets, postponing instructional material adoption, and increasing class size.

Even if the Governor's plan is adopted in full, sparing school districts from further state cuts, our district must address an ongoing structural deficit. To do so requires about $2 million in budget cuts next year.

While we will work hard to support the extension of the existing tax levels, we must prepare for the worst case scenario, which may mean budget cuts of $5 million or more. Therefore, the district will have to prepare two budgets this spring, one that assumes the tax measures pass, and one that would be implemented if they fail.

Fasten your seatbelts, it is going to be a busy spring.