Jerry Brown proposes teaching less science, shortening school year as budget solution

[Puppycow]

Second Year Science Graduation Requirement Elimination: Governor Stands Firm

In his May revision of the 212-2013 budget, the governor made several changes to his education block grant proposal (designed to reform the education mandate system, of which the graduation requirement is a part). One thing he did not change was his proposal to eliminate the “Graduation Requirement” mandate, which requires high school students to complete two years of science to fulfill their graduation requirements.

CSTA has been reporting and acting on the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the Graduation Requirement mandate since February (March, April, May). In May, CSTA teamed up with the California STEM Learning Network (CSLNet). Our combined efforts have resulted in gaining support for our position of opposing the Governor’s proposal in the Assembly, but there is still work to be done in the Senate.

Jerry Brown urges budget cuts amid California's $16B shortfall

Brown proposed $8.3 billion in cuts across education, health care and welfare programs in laying out a plan to address the state's $15.7 billion shortfall, an amount equal to 17 percent of the state's discretionary fund. He warned that additional cuts are ahead if voters reject his tax-hike initiative in November.

. . .

If voters reject the tax increases in the fall, Brown is proposing $6 billion in additional automatic spending cuts, almost all of which would fall on K-12 schools. The so-called trigger cuts could mean that some districts would have to cut the school year by up to three weeks.

Brown said the cuts are real and will impact every school in the state.

At the same time Brown is pushing ahead with a high-speed rail boondoggle whose projected costs have ballooned:
California Proposition 1A, High-Speed Rail Act (2008)

In 2008, when voters approved the measure, the estimate for the total cost of the project was $40 billion. In 2011, the California High-Speed Rail Authority issued a new cost estimate for the entire project, saying that it will cost between $98.5 billion and $118 billion.[2]

California High-Speed Rail Losing Support, Poll Shows

A majority of voters no longer support building a $68 billion high-speed passenger rail system connecting California’s population centers, a new poll shows, even as Governor Jerry Brown is pushing the project forward.

While 53 percent of voters approved a bond issue for the project in 2008, a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll published in yesterday’s edition of the newspaper, found that 59 percent would oppose it if given another chance to vote.

Brown, a 74-year-old Democrat, allocated some of the $9.95 billion of bonds for the system in his budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, even though a deficit in the spending plan has ballooned to $15.7 billion. He wants voters to increase sales and income taxes or slash 3 weeks off the school year while still spending money on the rail line.
. . .
The bullet-train project, eventually linking San Francisco to Los Angeles, would cost $68.4 billion, down from the $98.5 billion estimated in November, according to the California High- Speed Rail Authority. The proposal saves money by upgrading existing commuter and freight lines in some areas, rather than build new track, and counts on funds from California’s new program selling pollution credits.

The "savings" come from cannibalizing existing commuter and freight lines, and even with these "savings" the cost is still much higher than what voters bargained for when they voted for the plan.

Why is education on the chopping block and not this ginormous boondoggle?

 

[Twiggett]

Second Year Science Graduation Requirement Elimination: Governor Stands Firm



Jerry Brown urges budget cuts amid California's $16B shortfall



At the same time Brown is pushing ahead with a high-speed rail boondoggle whose projected costs have ballooned:
California Proposition 1A, High-Speed Rail Act (2008)



California High-Speed Rail Losing Support, Poll Shows


The "savings" come from cannibalizing existing commuter and freight lines, and even with these "savings" the cost is still much higher than what voters bargained for when they voted for the plan.

Why is education on the chopping block and not this ginormous boondoggle?

Is this guy serious? Cutting education and not a damn train?

 

[BStrong]

Is this guy serious? Cutting education and not a damn train?

His theory is that the train project will create jobs, which will jump start the economy.

 

[Twiggett]

His theory is that the train project will create jobs, which will jump start the economy.

Um yeah, sure, because cutting a little travel time between two cities is sure going to do that..........

 

[Puppycow]

His theory is that the train project will create jobs, which will jump start the economy.

But at the expense of education? Under current budget constraints? Given the ballooning costs?
Do we even know that enough people will actually use it to make it economically viable?

 

[ehcks]

His theory is that the train project will create jobs, which will jump start the economy.

Because educating people doesn't create jobs, obviously.

 

[SimonD]

His theory is that the train project will create jobs, which will jump start the economy.

Don't you need an education to get a job?

 

[Travis]

Don't bad mouth the train. I have invested too much time and energy into making sure it gets built.

I'd gladly see every school in this state closed down before I'll give up that train project. Not that it would be necessary. The project is being built by a totally separate bond measure so canceling it would do absolutely nothing for the schools.

And the real issue here is how we vote down every single state wide tax increase then, when services get cut, vote against new taxes to protest the lost services. If we do lose science education we will deserve it for being so damned stupid in the first place.

 

[Travis]

Another thing is that this absolutely isn't an either/or proposition. California needs to maintain education standards to be relevant in the future but it also needs the high speed train. Not doing one of them will obviate any gains from the other. Great schools will mean jack if the state economy implodes when no one can get around anywhere. And that is exactly the fate we are fast approaching and no one seems to realize it. They don't seem to realize that if we don't build the high speed train then we need to very extensively expand the highway and airport system and that will cost $180 billion at a minimum. Seriously Caltrans says just widening CA99 by two more lanes from Stockton to Bakersfield would cost $30 billion. Expand LAX? Another $20 billion and that's assuming the courts allow you to evict the estimated 10,000 people from their homes that any expansion would require. Want to expand Burbank airport? Same deal.

The reality is that the high speed train is the least expensive option California has for avoiding another economic catastrophe. It sucks that it is still expensive but that can't be avoided. California was doomed for that when it laid out its railroad network in a way where there is essentially no direct route from southern California to northern California. If we want any passenger train service between the two regions a new line will have to built through the Tehachapi mountains.

Or, you know, we could just continue on with the status quo and its $180 billion price tag and no environmental benefit.

 

[marplots]

Maybe they could put some science posters on the train.

 

[Travis]

In case you couldn't tell this issue is my personal berserk button. And, in light of that, I have made a thread where we can all reveal what makes us go mad with rage.

 

[psionl0]

If voters reject the tax increases in the fall, Brown is proposing $6 billion in additional automatic spending cuts, almost all of which would fall on K-12 schools. The so-called trigger cuts could mean that some districts would have to cut the school year by up to three weeks.

This guy is nuts. Doesn't he realize that the primary function of schools is baby sitting? He will have to spend more on police to deal with the extra crime caused by loosing teenagers on the streets longer.

 

[Puppycow]

I'd gladly see every school in this state closed down before I'll give up that train project.

That's very reasonable.

 

[Theofrak]

I'm so glad I moved out of California

 

[rcfieldz]

Recess

More time for Raves!!!

 

[NobbyNobbs]

So basically, California will end up with a brand new train system and a bunch of graduates who don't know how to read the schedule.

 

[BStrong]

Hey fellas, I'm not defending Brown - I'm relating his version of the facts.

He's up a creek without a paddle, and he now realizes that he should have retired from the AG's office or found another gig.

California is in such bad shape that "the big one" (earthquake) would be easier to live through than the financial collapse that's on the way, and Brown et al have -0- chance of fixing the problem.

 

[dasmiller]

So basically, California will end up with a brand new train system and a bunch of graduates who don't know how to read the schedule.

This may not be as big a problem as you'd think. If the trains run like the buses in my area, there's no obvious relationship between the printed schedule and the actual arrival/departure times.

 

[Eudaemonic Plague]

This may not be as big a problem as you'd think. If the trains run like the buses in my area, there's no obvious relationship between the printed schedule and the actual arrival/departure times.

Heheh. Here, we have the problem of bus drivers being menaces on the streets, because they're under so much pressure to run on time. Since 2004, we've had two University of Illinois students killed. Both were pedestrians, both were in a crosswalk, broad daylight. I've personally had MTD drivers cut me off numerous times, sometimes nearly hitting my car. Yeah, I'd rather they were late, than drive like that.

Illinois is getting high speed rail, and from what I've read so far, Illinois tax payers aren't being required to cough up the money for it. Of course, we're not having to build completely from scratch, and the distances are less. It'll help a friend of mine, I think.

Why does California have to raise its own money for high speed rail? Isn't that what Obama's plan is for?

 

[theprestige]

So basically, California will end up with a brand new train system

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.