Well, the governor plans
on tackling health care.
Climate crisis in this
new state budget proposal.
But this morning we want to focus
on his plan for California schools.
I know so many parents want to know
more about where this money is gonna go,
and joining us now.
Troy Flint from the California
School Boards Association,
Troy good morning to you.
Thanks for coming on the show.
Good morning, thanks for having me.
So we've had a chance to look
at some of the funding here.
When it comes to schools,
I know you've been going through
it with a fine tooth comb here.
What are your thoughts on the
governor's plan specifically for the
money that's earmarked for education?
We
appreciate that the governor has
identified a lot of the issues that
are really pressing for California.
Public schools has given a substantial
amount of money toward those schools.
Overall, it's a positive
budget for education.
Our only quibble would be that we
think it's important that schools
at the local level have money to
spend at their discretion for the
specific needs in their local
communities and not be restricted by
one size fits all generic programs
for which they may not qualify.
Which may not make the most
sense for their particular kids.
Well, I know your organization
has been working on a funding
initiative the past couple of years.
You still pursuing this
full and fair funding plan.
Can you explain what that
is and whether you think the
governor's budget address is that?
At one time we were contemplating
a ballot measure that would raise
revenue for California schools and
move us from around 40th in the nation.
In terms of per pupil funding up
into the top ten, we are no longer
pursuing that ballot measure,
but we are still intensely committed
to the idea of raising the student
funding levels in California schools,
and we're going to pursue that
through different needs.
So legislation, as you know,
speaking considered right now to fund
schools based on student enrollment.
Instead of the average daily attendance,
how does that change the funding for schools,
and what are your thoughts on
this proposal at this point?
So the vast majority of states in
America fund schools based on the
number of students in California
and maybe six or seven other states.
You fund schools based on the number of
students and the days that they attend.
So if you have a 95% attendance
rate in your student body,
you only get 95% of what your
total allotment would be.
Obviously, that results in
less money for schools,
and it means less services for students,
and it punishes those students.
You are going to school on a regular basis,
so we're very interested in
this enrollment proposal.
But it obviously depends on the details.
So as the language gets hashed out,
will take an official position.
I know some districts are concerned
because the the attendance numbers over
the past two years have been frozen
with the whole pandemic and everything,
but we have seen a decline in in in public
schools and those numbers those true
numbers are going to come to light here
soon and could have an impact on some of
the funding that districts get right.
I do understand why some districts
may be concerned about the attendance
levels that have been dropping.
Absolutely, and attendance or enrollment
in California schools has been declining
even before the pandemic for the
first time in our state's history.
Obviously the pandemic has accelerated that,
so there's been a lot of
concern around this issue,
and the governor in his budget proposal
is talking about letting some of the
years outside the pandemic be included
in the calculation for the enrollment,
and for the amount of money
that schools ultimately receive.
And that's an effort to try and
soften the blow of this sharp
enrollment Cliff that schools have
been seeing the past couple of years.
A lot of reasons that we are hearing
the the decline of enrollment.
People moving out of California
kids moving into private schools.
I mean, what are some of the reasons
behind this consistent decline?
So there's some demographic factors.
You have an aging population.
Immigration has slowed,
which has been the major
source of population gain in
California for quite a while.
You do have an acceleration of
people moving out of state,
and then you have more parents choosing
to homeschool and in a slight uptick
in private school attendance as well.
So it's a combination of all those factors.
So there's some legislators out
there saying that they have
funded schools at record levels,
and that schools have. Enough money.
Do you think schools have enough
money to operate at this point?
For the long term, no.
Right now, schools have received a very
welcome infusion of cash, and it has
been a significant amount of money.
But most of this cash is one
time funds and they've been using
these relief funds to staff up to
add extra programs and services.
And when that money runs out
in the next year or so,
they're going to have to find a
way to pay for all those program
services and staff they added.
And there's not enough money for that.
So where we're headed is for
going over a Cliff.
In two major layoffs,
potentially,
programmatic shutdowns and school closures.
If we don't find a way to maintain
what we're doing when COVID ends
the problems caused by COVID
are still going to be with us,
and we don't have the funds
to address those properly.
So the only solution then to use more
taxpayers dollars to put into our schools
is that the only solution in your eyes.
I think we need to combine higher revenue
with being smarter with the money we have,
and a topdown evaluation of what's
happening at the state level and
then also what's happening at the
local level to make sure those
funds are being used responsibly
and that they're being targeted to
the students who are in need.
But it's a two part problem.
You need to have more money,
and you need to use the money in a
more practical, responsible way,
and that's how we'll get to the place
where we're offering high quality education.
For all students
look, we've heard some from from
some parents that aren't seeing
much of a change at schools when
it comes to COVID safety measures.
Yet school districts receive millions
of dollars in COVID funding.
They think school districts have done
a good job managing those funds. I
think, given the constraints,
they're working under, which are massive.
That school districts have tried
to move mountains, but like other
institutions across the country,
they're suffering from the same issues
of logistics of supply chain problems,
logistics, finding enough staffing to even
keep schools open has become a challenge,
and so they're just working against
very difficult circumstances.
Trying to manage a public health problem
when they are not public health.
Institutions they're working
very far out of their scope,
and given what they're up against,
I think that they're doing admirably.
We only got about a minute left here,
but the state teachers union says they
remain committed to keeping schools open
for in person teaching and learning.
But to do so, they say schools
must have proper safety measures,
access to testing adequate staffing.
Do you fully expect schools
to remain open here, Troy?
I think most schools will
remain open over the holiday.
All the unions, including the
teacher union that you mentioned,
as well as the education
management organizations like C.
SBA which I represent combined with
the governor's office to issue a
statement affirming or reaffirming
our commitment to keeping campuses
open and kids in the classroom.
There are some schools now which are
just approaching the breaking point
because staffing shortages are so great,
many districts are over 20% daily absences.
That's probably gonna climb you
up into 3040% as we continue to
see a peak in COVID in some areas.
And at that point staying open
is unsustainable.
But I think everybody is on the
same page that closing schools,
even temporarily, now is a last resort,
and when that happens it'll be
because schools had no other options.
So it's very different than, say,
the winter or spring of 2020,
all right? Troy Flint from the
California School Boards Association.
Thanks so much for the conversation
here this morning. Thank.