Schools to Get Significant Funding Increase Under Senator Portantino’s New Legislation

Thursday, March 28 2019

Sacramento, California–Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D–La Cañada Flintridge) introduced SB 729 to increase the base funding level for K-12 school districts by proposing to raise the Local Control Funding Formula Base by 5.16%.  SB 729 seeks to achieve a $1 billion dollar increase by using a cost of living adjustment formula.

“I am happy to present SB 729 which will help increase LCFF funds significantly. I believe that education should be one of California’s highest priorities.  This bill will help students and districts across our state by increasing base funding levels for all school districts.  Although we’ve made strides to increase funding in recent years we haven’t kept up with inflation nor our schools overwhelming needs,” said Senator Portantino.

Although many tout recent funding increases and the “full” funding of LCFF as proposed by Governor Brown, adjustments for inflation put California closer to the 2007 funding levels of school investment then the current budget demands of the 2019 funding year.  This bill highlights the need to increase funding to meet those needs. 

“California needs to renew our commitment to make K-12 education funding the highest priority in the state budget,” declared Assemblymember Muratsuchi.  “For too long, California has been below the national average in per pupil K-12 funding.  This bill will establish strong school funding targets to provide full and fair funding for all California children, regardless of where you live.  Full and fair funding is necessary to provide good public schools, hire good teachers, reduce class sizes and provide the necessary resources so that all children can succeed.”

“I hope to use SB 729 to highlight the desperate need of many of our districts for additional funding.  Our children demand that we continue to step up upon their behalf.  As the bill progresses I will be looking at how I can fold this increase into Prop 98 and long term adjustments to stabilize school funding,” concluded Senator Portantino.

 

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