While Gov. Schwarzenegger is notthe bearer of ecstatic education news for California, a U.S. stimulus package may very well be. Of the $21.5billion that the Golden State stands to reap from the $825billion package--more than any other state -- about $9.6 billion would go toward K-12 andpost secondary schools over the next two years. The money wouldby no means be a panacea for the current overcrowded, overburdenedK-12 and post-secondary systems, but at least (if managed the rightway) stymie their downhill slide.
As the National Conferencefor State Legislatures estimates, the money would be broken down into13 categories, six of which are related to education. The numbersare earmarked, in billions, is as follows: $1.6 for Title 1Schools, $1.4 for Special Education, $1 for Education Technology and$1.7 for K-12 schools. There's also $7.8 billion from a 'fiscalstabilization' category, $4.76 billion (or 61 percent) which would gotoward K-12 and post-secondary education. The rest of the fundwould be reserved for highways, Medicare in 2009 and theseparate category of 2010, the state energy program, weatherization,childcare, drinking water and clean water--all which are also in needof a cash boost.
Still, it is education that faces the mostimmediate threat. Gov. Schwarzenegger held a dangerously sharpknife to the school systems last December, whenhe proposed to slash K-12 education spending by $5.2billion this year, including postponing $2.8 billion in paymentsintended to go to schools from April through July. AndCalifornia's higher education system currently sits between a rockand a hard place amidst tuition raises--which were about 7percent this year for the University of California--enrollment cuts and the state falling $815million short of its funding commitment to the UC.
This is why a 'yes' House vote onthe stimulus bill counted. Still, to guarantee the funds' usefulness--notto mention prevent their abuse-- they should be provided tothe California government only under the circumstances that it agreesnot to reduce its education funding by the same amount. Doing sowould essentially render the additional money ineffective. Thefunds should also come with transparency requirements for itsK-12, community college, California State University and UCrecipients.
Even if its budget breakdownwere inspected under a microscope, some Republicans are opposedto the scale of the $79 billion that the Senate plan wouldallocate toward education on a national level.Traditionally, federal government spending on education hascentered on financial aid to needy students rather than the localconstruction projects proposed under the proposal. Thenational amount of money grantedto education in recent years has been about 9 percent topublic schools, and 19 percent to higher education--numbers that thestimulus package would augment significantly. Point in case: theDepartment of Education's discretionary budget totaled $60 billion inthe 2008 fiscal year, whereas the plan would raise that amountto about $146 billion this year.
Furthermore, educational experts fromacross the political spectrum have questioned how schooldistricts can spend the money so quickly, and boost studentachievement at the same rate. Also, as many have asked, whatwill happen when the money disappears?
However, near-bankruptstates such as California can no longer operateeffectively under their own dime. As President Obamasaid in a Roosevelt Room talk with business CEOs onWednesday about the package as a whole, "We don't have amoment to spare." California's Stimulus Package educationfunds may disappear fast. but that's why they're part of anemergency package, not California's education retirement fund. If themoney can eliminate more than few pink slips, give kids insmaller classes more individual attention, and broaden the range ofaccessibility to a UC education, California's educationalinfrastructure--and the mass populous it supports--will be kept fromcrumbling. If educational support can be boosted in a time of crisis,its recipients will have a stronger foundation when the recessionitself recedes.