OAKLAND, CA (January 9, 2015) Ryan Smith, on behalf of The EdTrust—West, issued the following statement in response to Governor Brown’s January budget proposal:

“We applaud Governor Brown for investing another $4 billion in the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The enactment of the LCFF represented a turning point and full funding of the formula is the next step for ensuring equity across all California schools.

We also appreciate the Governor recognizing the need for additional funding for implementation of the Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and the new English Language Arts/English Language Development Standards. It appears that no new money exists for both Common Core implementation and unreimbursed mandates. We believe the State must continue to provide the resources districts need to ensure there is adequate training, technology and materials to most effectively implement the new standards.

While we acknowledge the continued investment in education, we ask the Governor and the Legislature to start an honest, public dialogue with stakeholders regarding the adequate level of per-pupil spending needed to prepare all students to go on to college or a career.”

# # #

About The EdTrust-West

The EdTrust-West works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, pre-k through college. We expose opportunity and achievement gaps that separate students of color and low-income students from other youth, and we identify and advocate for the strategies that will forever close those gaps.