Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled his latest spending proposal this week, calling for an increase in funding for California’s public schools and community colleges.
The governor’s May Revise outlined $74.6 billion in K-14 expenditures for the 2017-18 school year, or $1.1 billion more than was projected earlier in the year.
Of course the plan still has to pass muster with state lawmakers, who will likely weigh in with their own revisions before it comes up for a vote this summer. Brown also cautioned that the current economic recovery won’t last forever, and that cuts should be anticipated in the future.
Here are some other stories we’ve been following this week:
- On the heels of announcing a partnership with OCDE and other county offices of education, Khan Academy can point to a new study that shows students who use its SAT Practice program are likely to earn higher SAT scores.
- Capistrano Unified officials and community members gathered in a dirt lot to kick off construction of a new K-8 school that will be the district’s 63rd campus.
- Hoag Orthopedic Institute staff used a theatrical performance to educate students about the various professions involved in orthopedic medicine.
- The subject of school fees has come up at an Irvine elementary school, where officials clarified that charges for an educational activity should be considered voluntary.
- Forced to reduce expenditures by $24 million, the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education voted to lay off 50 educators at the end of the year and will consider additional reductions this month. Meanwhile, the district also rescinded 98 pink slip warnings issued in March.
- A group in Orange County has been awarded a $12.2 million grant to expand dentistry services for children at local schools.
- The second episode of OCDE’s The Deeper Learning Podcast, posted this week, examines how an order authorizing the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II connected two Orange County families.
- With a little help from the American Heart Association and Disney VoluntEARS, students at Juliette Low Elementary School in Anaheim spent a day planting a new campus garden that will be used to promote lessons on nutrition and healthy eating habits.
- And finally, four Peer Assistance Leadership programs administered by OCDE and two program advisors were recognized for using creative and innovative practices to enhance youth engagement and connectedness.
For more education news stories, visit news.ocde.us.