State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Urges Congress to Prevent Devastating Cuts

From California Department of Education - NEWS RELEASE

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today urged Congressional leaders to work together and immediately pass legislation that would repeal drastic budget cuts set to take effect Friday under sequestration.

"Without Congressional intervention, automatic budget cuts from sequestration will take effect on March 1," said Torlakson in aletter to Congressional leaders. "After years of extensive state and federal budget cuts to education, these cuts will devastate communities across California…. These automatic cuts will cause long-lasting and irreparable harm."

Sequestration cuts could represent a $262 million funding reduction to California’s federal education program. These include estimated cuts of:
* $91 million for Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, intended to improve education for disadvantaged students;

* $72 million in special education funding for programs that serve the needs of students with disabilities;
* $2.8 million for public charter schools;
* $6.9 million for Career and Technical Education;
* $9.6 million in funding for English learners; and
* $3.7 million in Impact Aid affecting students in federally impacted school districts in California, including children of active duty service members.

"Further, these cuts come at a time when California is just beginning a recovery from state-level cuts of over $20 billion to education spending over the last five years," Torlakson added. "The California Department of Education, school districts, and local educational agencies will need to find ways to cut costs even further under sequestration. This could result in school closures; teacher and administrator layoffs; increased student-teacher ratios; the elimination of college counselors and school-based mental health personnel; and deferred purchases, renovations, and repairs. These cuts would come at a crucial time in a student’s life. Many of these students may never make up the lost ground."

Read article HERE.

Court blocks in-home-care cuts for disabled, aged

By Bob Egelko, SFGate - San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer

A federal judge blocked the state on Thursday from reducing in-home care by 20 percent for 372,000 elderly and disabled Californians.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken of Oakland had issued a temporary restraining order Dec. 1 that barred state officials from notifying recipients of the cutbacks, which had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. She said she had serious questions about whether the reductions would violate federal law by forcing people into nursing homes.

After hearing arguments from state lawyers and disability-rights advocates Thursday, Wilken issued a preliminary injunction that maintains current levels of service while the case proceeds.

The program, called In-Home Supportive Services, provides care for the blind and disabled and those over 65 who need help with daily tasks to live at home.

Read complete article HERE.

Another State Requests Waiver to Cut Special Ed Spending

By Nirvi Shah from On Special Education

It's official: This month, Oregon asked the U.S. Department of Education to allow it to cut about $15.7 million from its special education budget and not lose the same amount of federal money for students with disabilities—a double hit

Their request isn't totally a surprise. Earlier this year, I wrote that Oregon was planning to request a waiver from the so-called "maintenance of effort" rule that says states must keep special education spending the same from year to year, or increase it, regardless of the condition of their state budgets.

Seven states have made similar requests, though they haven't all been granted. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education waived the spending requirement for Iowa, Kansas, and West Virginia because of those states' financial straits. Waivers for Alabama, New Jersey, and South Carolina are pending. Kansas told me they plan on requesting another waiver, but the state hasn't done so yet and their budget is still in flux.

While other states aren't going as far as requesting waivers, at the district level, it appears special education programs are taking hits. In El Paso, Texas, there will be fewer special education teachers although there are more special education students. In New York, there are a number of worries about how state budget cuts will trickle down to special education.

What's happening in your state or district?

CAC Meeting - Potential Budget Reductions in Special Education

Community Advisory Committee Meeting
Monday, March 7, 2011 at 7 p.m.

Dent Center Board Room
1936 Carlotta Drive
Concord, California 94519

Potential budget reductions in special education will be discussed.
Everyone is welcomed - Bring a friend.

More Details About Special Education Budget Proposals

With the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives calling for a $557.7 million cut to special education spending in the current year, it's hard to complain about President Barack Obama's modest $250 million boost to the program in his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal.

To read more on this article by Nirvi Shahclick Click on Special Education

Governor Jerry Brown Presents Proposed Budget

Governor Jerry Brown released a balanced state budget today that slashes spending by $12.5 billion, including an eight to 10 percent cut in take-home pay for most state employees, and proposes a “vast and historic” restructuring of government operations.
See more at CA.Gov HERE
See budget HERE
See video of the presentation HERE

HAVE YOU CONTACTED YOUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT AB3632 YET?

Governor Brown will be presenting his budget plan on Monday, January 10, 2011. Email, phone and/or fax the Governor and Legislators.
Letter from CAC chairperson Lorrie Davis with contact information HERE.

Transportation and Crossing Guards at Silverwood Elementary

Silverwood Elementary in Concord announces that budget cuts have caused bussing reductions and no crossing guards: http://silverwood.mdusd.org/

Bay Area Parents Coalesce to Work to Reform Education Funding

From the San Jose Mercury News:


Urged on by the worsening state budget crisis, a group of parents from across the Bay Area have joined together to mobilize other parents to reform the way California funds education. The new effort grew from a phenomenally successful fundraising drive, which saved teacher jobs in the Cupertino school district, and from growing campaigns in other districts. READ MORE

Reduction in Special Education Assistants

At the Mt. Diablo School District Board of Education meeting on May 11, 2010, the board approved a reduction in our Special Education Assistants. As discussed at our May CAC meeting, our hope was that the audit would result in covering the required FTE reduction. At the board meeting on Tuesday, June 15, the following was shared and approved.

The SEA audit found 51 positions for possible reduction or elimination. Out of those positions, 18 had been previously identified as 13.5 FTE for elimination at the 5/27/08 and 3/3/09 Board Meetings, leaving a remaining 33 recommendations. 8 of the recommended eliminations were not eliminated because of the student’s designation for Bridge classes or continued need for assistance. That left 25 remaining for cut.

It should be noted that 25 positions does not mean 25 FTE. Most of the assistants had been designated as .75 FTE which translated to 18.75 FTE. The projected reduction/eliminations were for 30.0625 FTE leaving 11.3125 FTE to be cut. After discussing the eliminations with Mildred Browne, principals and teachers, the remaining reductions were taken as 1 hour from both SEA1CLS and SEA2CLS. It did not eliminate 1 hour from the assistants assigned as 1:1’s. All of the SEA2CLS positions were not reduced, allowing the flexibility of moving the few remaining 6 hour positions to the most intensive of classes.
These are difficult times and staff attempted to make the eliminations/reductions as strategic as possible so that the students were least impacted. Unfortunately, this will begin an intensive bumping process as we move into the summer. It would have been much easier to just cut 58 positions, but that was not possible with the current staffing formula and ultimately it isn’t best for kids. The Board resolution identified more personnel than are needed for the reduction, so that there is room for bumping.


Audit Recommendations 51 Positions
Previously Identified for eliminations 18 positions 13.5 FTE
Pulled from elimination 8 Positions
Remaining Recommendations 25 Positions
Projected Eliminations Approximately 58 positions 30.0625 FTE
SEA1&2CLS Reductions by 1 hour .125 FTE
Total reductions 30.0625+13.5 FTE
Total 43.5625

Walnut Creek Special Recreation Camp on the Chopping Block

The City of Walnut Creek is proposing to eliminate its Special Recreation summer camp for the summer of 2011. As Regional Center has discontinued camp funding , there is a shortage of camps available to children with special needs. The proposal will be made to the City Council at 7 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, May 14 at the Walnut Creek City Hall. There will be an opportunity for public comments. Comments can also be emailed to the Mayor, Sue Rainey at mayor@walnut-creek.org or mailed to Walnut Creek City Hall, 1666 No. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA .

View the 2009 Campers Hi-5 you HERE.
View the agenda HERE.
View the proposed budget HERE.
View the meeting live ONLINE.