A Letter to the Hart-Ransom
Community
Volume 6 Issue 1
February 2008
2008-2009 Budget Situation
Governor Schwarzenegger has released his proposed 2008-2009 budget. In
order to address a $14.5 billion deficit, he recommends 10% cuts to nearly
all state programs. This proposal would be the largest reduction to K-12
education spending in California’s history. It would require a suspension
of the Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee for public education for
the second time in this decade. The cuts would total over $4.4 billion
to K-12 schools. The impact on school districts would be disastrous. Statewide,
tens of thousands of teachers would be laid off, and class sizes would
rise. Additionally, there would be a further erosion of the support system
for students provided by classified and paraprofessional staff. For Hart-Ransom,
these reductions would result in a loss of $313,880 in 2008-2009, or $317
less per student than this year. The District would need to lay off at
least one teacher, and the after school and other programs would be at
risk. According to a report released recently from Education Week, California
spends $2,000 less per student than the national average. In the last
two years alone, California has dropped from 43rd to 46th in per-pupil
States like New York spend 75% more per spending. States like New York
spend 75% more per student than California. Hart-Ransom students continue
to show growth in meeting State Content Standards, but a reduction in
funding will severely damage the quality of our students’ education.
The Sacramento politicians must join educators in maintaining the focus
on the following priorities: narrowing the achievement gap; building capacity
among teachers and administrators; measuring results through reliable
data on student achievement; and providing adequate, stable and ongoing
funding. At its February meeting, the Hart-Ransom Board of Education passed
a resolution calling on the governor and the Legislature to put students
first, reject across-the-board cuts that would damage our public schools,
and protect the voter-approved, minimum school funding law, Proposition
98. If you are interested in supporting the District in this effort, please
contact the governor and your fellow legislators, as follows: Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger: www.gov.ca.gov/interact or phone 916-445-2841,
Senator Dave Cogdill: www.sen.ca.gov/cogdill or phone 599-8540, Assemblyman
Tom Berryhill: www.assembly.ca.gov/berryhill or phone 576-6425.
New construction
With the passage of Measure G, the design plans for the building project
is undergoing a final design review at the State Architect’s Office,
the Office of Public School Construction and the California Department
of Education. The District anticipates final approval within the next
two months. Hopefully, construction will begin on the first phase of the
project, the new ball fields, sometime this summer. A legal requirement
for utilizing general obligation bonds is the establishment of a Citizens
Oversight Committee. The purpose of the Committee is “to inform
the public concerning the expenditures of bond revenues.” The Committee
will actively review and report on the proper expenditure of taxpayers’
money in the building of the new facilities. At its February meeting the
Board of Education appointed the following District residents as members
of the Committee: Phil Breazeale, Tim Byrd, Mike Cruce, Kristy Gonsalves,
Tom Grover, Isabel Harris, and Bruce Oosterkamp.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Consistent school attendance is crucial to student achievement. Hart-Ransom
is actively participating in the Stanislaus County Office of Education
Student Attendance Campaign. Student success begins with attendance. The
research is clear—students who attend school regularly do better
academically and are more likely to establish work habits that help them
succeed in life and work. Good attendance habits must be formed during
the elementary grades. When students miss a day of school, it actually
puts them two days behind their classmates. So far, due to absenteeism
during the 2007-2008 school year, Hart-Ransom has lost nearly $90,000
in state funding that would have benefited our students. With the exception
of illness, students should be in school every day.
As always, when you any questions regarding the District’s instructional
programs or general operations, feel free to contact me. My door is always
open.
R. Ream Lochry, Ed.D.
Superintendent
|
