Recent Updates

• ACSA Budget Talking Points
  The following are ACSA's talking points regarding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2010-11 budget proposal, which includes additional $2.5 billion in cuts on top of the $17 billion already cut from education funding over the last two years.
• Budget Update/Alert: Planning for and defending against targeted reduction to LEA "Administrative Costs"
  The following update contains two sets of information related to the governor’s proposed targeted cut to K-adult administrative functions in FY 2010-11. The first focuses on how to plan for such a reduction. The second provides useful information to dispel the myth that California LEAs spend too much on central office administration compared to other functions.
• Talking Points to the Governors Proposed Cut to School Administration
  
• The Facts About School Administrator Ratios
  
• K-14 Education Spending and the Budget Shortfall
  
• Position Paper: 2010-11 State Budget
  Please click on the link above to review ACSA's Position Paper regarding the 2010-11 State Budget as approved by ACSA's Board of Directors on February 4, 2010.
• 2010-11 Budget Presentation to ACSA Delegate Assembly (February 4, 2010)
  Please click the link above to review the presentation given ACSA's Delegate Assembly by Karen Stapf-Walters and Adonai Mack on February 4, 2010.
• QEIA Lobby Day Logistics
  The following are updated logistics regarding Wednesday’s (Sept 2) ACSA and CTA Lobby Day for the restoration of Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) funding
• QEIA Lobby Day – Wednesday, September 2, 2009
  The following high priority message contains information regarding a proposed lobby day at the State Capitol for all Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) school districts on Wednesday, September 2, 2009.
• QEIA Funding Situation
  The purpose of this message is to inform you of our initial efforts in opposition to the recently adopted 2009-10 funding cut to the Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA). This unanticipated reduction to QEIA district’s revenue limit has created significant challenges for all 135 QEIA districts and 466 schools participating in this program.
• 2009-10 Final Budget Revision Analysis
  Tuesday, the governor finalized the revisions to the 2009-10 Budget Act by signing the budget legislation passed by the Legislature...ACSA has reviewed the language and below is a broader analysis of the entire education budget in addition to several budget trailer bills that will impact education funding in the future.
• Finally, the Budget is Passed!
  After almost 24 hours straight of floor sessions and almost 30 bills later, the Senate and the Assembly passed the revisions to the February budget to close a reported $24 billion deficit.
• California Department of Education Reorganization Update
  With the recent departure of CDE Deputy Superintendent and ACSA member Tony Monreal, who has taken the reins as district superintendent in Oxnard, the CDE has made some significant changes in organization. This may help you as you navigate and communicate with CDE in the future.
• How Schools Get Paid: A Brief Tutorial
  Understanding the possible impacts a budget stalemate can have on schools requires a basic understanding of how education funding is released by the state to school districts and county offices of education. This is not a matter easily understood by the layman observer. As with most education policies, California’s K-14 funding schedule cannot be explained in simple terms . . . in fact, it is as complex as the Proposition 98 formula that drives it.
• Gridlock in Sacramento What Gets Paid . . . And What Doesn’t: Local Impacts of California’s Budget Crisis
  In what has become an ongoing nightmare, state budget negotiations are once again deadlocked. How long this latest stalemate will last is anyone’s guess. Deliberations among state leaders continue . . . but this could take awhile.
• New UCLA economic forecast: District and County Offices Could Face Rough Financial Times into 2011-12
  Earlier this week, the UCLA Anderson Forecast released its second quarterly economic report of 2009. The Anderson Forecast is a widely followed economic forecast for California and the nation. The report upgraded the condition of the national economy, but noted that the patient is still “very sick.”
• Budget Update: California’s Cash Flow Situation Worsens: Educators Should Be On High Alert
  Earlier this week, State Controller John Chiang released his latest figures on state revenues and projected cash flow. State revenues continue to plummet, with projections that the state will run out of available cash by July 28.
• Budget Update: K-14 Payment Deferrals – What gets paid and when
  As the state’s fiscal and cash situation has worsened, state government has relied heavily on “interyear” and “intrayear” deferrals to reduce Proposition 98 spending mid-year in response to decreases in the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee.
• May Revision Update: LAO Analysis
  The failure of the initiatives has a devastating impact on the state budget. Last week, the governor released his May Budget Revision.
• Budget Advisory: Release of the 2009-10 May Budget Revision
  Thursday afternoon, the Governor Released his 2009-10 May Budget Revision. The proposal is separated into two versions dependant on whether the ballot propositions pass or fail on May 19th. The following is a brief summary of the May Revision. ACSA will provide a broader and more in depth analysis of the May Revision impact on K-adult programs in the following days.
• How Your District Can Use One-Time Funds to Generate Long-Term Ongoing Benefits
  Whether or not one agrees with the causes, logic and rationale of the recently enacted state budget “correction” and federal stimulus packages, the fact remains that they will result in making substantial one-time, uncommitted funds available for local education agency (LEA) governance teams. Figuring out how to use one-time funds to generate long term ongoing benefits will be the key when it come to using Federal Stimulus dollars and state budget flexibility.
• Federal Stimulus Dollars and Collective Bargaining Agreements
  As federal stimulus dollars begin to roll out, Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) with existing collective bargaining agreements that contain salary and "fair-share" formulas may receive demands to bargain to apply a part of Federal stimulus monies to the salary schedule.
• Bracing for cuts: Education budget outlook grows dimmer
  In what has become a nightmare situation, additional developments occurred this week that essentially solidify the likelihood of another round of possible mid-year reductions and definitely more cuts in 2009-10. These reductions will be in addition to those that were implemented this past February.