HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03161999 - C108 e
log
Board of Supervisors
of
Centra Costa County,State of California
In the Matter Declaring
California K-12 Public}
School Funding Crisis } Resolution No.99/ 9 7
WHEREAS, California's economy is the 7b largest in the world and its per capita income ranks 1P in
the United States,while its rank is 41 s"nationwide in per student funding;and
WHEREAS, California per student funding for basic district operations,after adjusting for inflation,is
$400 per student less today than in 1987,and currently an increase of$1,100 per child
funding is necessary just to reach the national average;and
WHEREAS, California still has the most crowded classrooms in the United States,despite the recent
"Class Size Reduction Program,"with an average of about 24 students per teacher
compared to the national average of 17 to 1;and.
WHEREAS, California funding for state adopted textbooks ranks 456'in the nation,providing$29 per
student per year,while the average cost of textbooks is$60 to$80 per student per
subject;and
WHEREAS, California has one school librarian for every 6,179 students while the national average is
one per 882 students,and California school libraries average I I books(with an average
copyright date of 1973 on non-fiction books)per student compared to the national
average of 20 books per student;and
WHEREAS, California schools rank 49"in the nation on the number of district officials and
administrators per student,50*'in the nation on the number of principals per student,and
51'in the nation on the number of guidance counselors serving our students;and
WHEREAS, California school districts are faced with a rapidly growing population that will require
about$15 billion of new construction before 2005 and$22 billion to repair and
modernize aging facilities,while hampered by the current requirement of a two-thirds
majority vote to pass a local school bond;now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the California State FTA and its units,councils and districts work to educate local
public officials,the community and the media that California K-12 public schools are
under funded,which has created a crisis situation in both school facilities needs and in
educational program needs;and be it further
RESOLVED, That the California State PTA and its units,councils and districts work with local and
state policy-makers to develop and pursue a long-term school facilities plan that
addresses the current school facilities crisis and ensures that school districts will be able
to secure adequate funding to meet their school facilities needs;and be it further
RESOLVED, That the California State PTA urge its units,councils and districts to mobilize local
public officials and community members to encourage state senators,state assembly
members and the Governor to increase funding for basic education in California K-12
public schools to no less than the national average.
In# oduced by. — 110 1 hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and
a' } 161 correct copy of an order entered on the Minutes of
the Board of Supervisors.
Donna Gerber
District III Supervisor
Fitness my hand and the Seal of the Board of
Supervisors affixed this 16"'day of March, 1999.
PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board and County
Administrator. ,
By
Deputy } k