California may finally get the "Twelvemonth of Pedagogy" that former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised for 2008, which, ironically, is at present remembered as the year school funding began its descent to the lower depths.

2013 is full of promise for education, notably due to increased tax revenues from voter blessing of Proposition 30 last November. The yr will also tax the facility of legislators, Gov. Jerry Brown, educators and instruction advocates to concord on how to make the about constructive use of the new coin, too as how to choose the best direction to accept in other policy areas.

Starting today, and standing for the adjacent week, EdSource Today will present summaries of some of the cardinal education issues that will depict attending this year: The budget, Brown'southward latest plan for weighted pupil funding, improving graduation rates at community colleges, critical decisions on the future of state assessments, another attempt to rewrite requirements for instructor evaluation, strengthening standards for early on babyhood education teachers, farther legislative deportment on schoolhouse discipline, and country and local preparations for Common Core standards

We're calling the series EdWatch, and hope these articles volition provide a clear framework for what to watch for in the coming debates.

Paying down vs. edifice upwardly

Gov. Jerry Brown is known for keeping his budget proposals close to the vest and, for the past few years, the question was how much would he cut and from where? Only the next upkeep programme, due to be released by January 10th, is generating a lot of buzz, because, with the passage of Suggestion xxx and an improving economy,  the governor is expected to have more coin to spend on didactics – $four.2 billion more.

The Legislative Analyst's Office estimates steady increases in the Proposition 98 guarantee, tapering off as the Proposition 30 sales tax increase sunsets. Source: LAO Report, The 2013-14 Budget. (Click to enlarge).

The Legislative Analyst'southward Office estimates steady increases in the Proposition 98 guarantee, tapering off as the Proposition 30 sales tax increment sunsets. Source: LAO Report, The 2013-14 Budget. (Click to enlarge).

That would raise the Proffer 98 guarantee to almost $56 billion in 2013-xiv, almost an 8 percentage increment over this yr, according to projections by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Part. But Brown is likewise facing difficult choices on how to spend it.

How much of the additional revenue goes to pay back deferrals and other debts and how much restores programs will be a point of tension, said Jonathan Kaplan, senior policy annotator for the California Budget Project.  "In that location is a pent-up demand for a restoration of cuts, but yet quite a backlog of dollars that the land borrowed from districts only has not paid dorsum. Information technology's a complicated issue for people to understand – similar attributable credit card debt without food on the tabular array: Which do yous pay back?" Kaplan said.

As soon as Proposition thirty passed, $2.2 billion came off the top of the expected revenues for the kickoff installment on paying down the more than $ten billion in Proposition 98 deferrals.  Brown has made it clear he's committed to eliminating that entire debt past 2015-16.  But in sales pitches for Prop. 30, voters were led to believe that schools would likewise become additional money to start rebuilding what they've lost. In the past v years. Between budget cuts and the suspension of some $900 million in country-mandated cost-of-living increases, schools are owed well-nigh 22 percent more than than they're currently receiving from the state.

"California's voters passed Suggestion xxx because they want our public schools to be repaid the $20 billion we lost in education funding cuts over the past 4 years," said Dean Vogel, president of the California Teachers Association, which put an enormous effort into candidature for Prop. 30. "Educators are excited that the state budget tin outset to make schools whole so that our students can do good from smaller form sizes again, and from restoring cuts to music and art programs that provide them with the well-rounded pedagogy that they all deserve."

Kaplan sees it as an equity issue. Some districts take shouldered much more of a burden than others and actually need a greenbacks infusion. These tend to be districts that rely on the

Since categorical flex went into effect, school districts have been redirecting much of the funds away from categorical programs to protect educational programs hit by cuts. Source: Legislative Analyst's Office. (Click to enlarge).

Since categorical flex went into effect, school districts have been redirecting much of the funds away from chiselled programs to protect educational programs hit by cuts. Source: Legislative Analyst's Function. (Click to enlarge).

state, rather than local resource, for nigh of their coin.  "What'southward needed is a little of each – paying downward debt and restoring coin that's been cut."

I big unknown, all the same, is how the governor would do a little of each at the aforementioned time he reintroduces his flagship programme for a weighted student funding formula that directs more money to kids who demand information technology the well-nigh. The big question is how it will be implemented, said Michael Hulsizer, head of governmental affairs for the Kern County Office of Education. "I'm sensing that he'south going to starting time phasing in weighted student funding correct away."

That would have new implications for what happens to categorical funding streams. In 2009, in the throes of the recession, the Legislature took almost 40 categorical programs totaling $4.v billion – from adult education to programs for supplemental teaching and educatee retention – and gave school districts the flexibility to employ the money where it was nigh needed.  As a result, almost of the categoricals take nearly disappeared. Although "flex" is due to expire at the cease of this academic year, few people in education believe that will happen. What seems likely to occur is that Brown will preserve a few programs and permanently deliquesce the others.

The governor'southward argument, which he has invoked before, is based on the principle of subsidiarity, a Catholic tenet that calls for local determination making whenever possible,  In this instance, that means spending decisions should exist left to local school boards.

Tomorrow in EdWatch – weighted educatee funding.

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