$25 billion deficit – and more cuts for schools

11-12-2010

Blog by John Fensterwald/Educated Guess

California educators knew that next year would be rough for K-12 schools and community colleges. But not this rough. The Legislative Analyst’s Office’s eye-popping projection of a $25 billion state budget deficit over the next 18 months doesn’t include $5 billion in cuts that schools already will face next year because of declining state revenues, the end of one-time federal money, and other unreimbursed costs. Solving the budget deficit will come on top of those cuts. That’s why next year could be the worst yet, even after three years of substantial reductions for schools. The only good news is that the 2011-12 budget should be rock bottom, after which revenues for schools will begin to climb slowly again. But the LAO is predicting that it won’t be until 2015-16 that the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee for K-12 schools and community colleges reaches the pre-recession 2007-08 level – with hardship and lost opportunities for a generation of schoolchildren in between. (more…)

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