ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT!

Dear TRIO and GEAR UP Colleagues:

As you know, the environment in Washington is quite heated with the Administration and Congress negotiating how to pare down the federal deficit. A number of rumors are swirling around town and the only thing that is certain is that all non-security programs – including TRIO and GEAR UP – are at risk.

We know our programs work. We know they make a tremendous difference in the lives of all of the students we touch. Many on Capitol Hill know this as well, but the nature of the current debate is so serious that we cannot sit idly by in hopes of being spared. Just a few months back, in the 11th hour budget deal negotiated by President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), leaders cut TRIO and GEAR UP by 3.1% and 6.3%, respectively. All told, we were forced to absorb a joint loss of $47 million in funding cuts, impacting 650,000 students!

We cannot and will not allow this to happen again. Therefore, we are joining forces to make our voices heard on Capitol Hill and let federal leaders know that they MUST protect TRIO and GEAR UP from further cuts!

We strongly urge you, your co-workers, students, parents, alumni, friends, and neighbors to participate in each of our three call-days.

TRIO and GEAR UP Call-In Days

• Wednesday, July 13 – U.S. House of Representatives
• Thursday, July 14 – U.S. Senate
• Tuesday, July 19 – White House

How to Participate? It’s Easy!

1. Search who your legislators are here.
2. Call your House Representative via the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
3. Deliver the message: “Tell [LEGISLATOR NAME] not to cut GEAR UP in FY 2012!”
4. Find five other people to do the same!

(You do the same thing for the Senate on July 14 and for the White House on July 19. Call President Obama at (202) 456-1111.)

In order for this plan to work, we need thousands – literally, thousands – of TRIO and GEAR UP supporters to call the Washington, DC and speak in a unified voice. This is how we’ve won battles in the past and this is how we will win now!

Please do not hesitate to contact the Government Relations Team at COE (202.347.7430) or NCCEP (202.530.1135, ext. 110) for more information about this joint effort!

A recently released report by State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson shows 13 school districts have “negative” certifications.  That means they may not be able to cover their bills through the end of next year.

Nearly 2 million students—roughly 30 percent of pupils in California—now attend school in a district facing serious financial jeopardy, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced.

“The emergency confronting California’s schools is widening and deepening,” Torlakson said. “As disturbing as these numbers are, unless the Legislature moves to place the Governor’s tax extension plan on the ballot, they are just the tip of the financial iceberg facing school districts up and down the state.”

Torlakson’s findings came as he released the results of the first semiannual Interim Status Report that represents budget certifications for California local educational agencies (LEAs) through the end of October 2010. The reports reflect a certification of whether an LEA is able to meet its financial obligations.

The number of LEAs on the negative certification list rose to 13 from 12 last year at this time. The number of LEAs on the qualified certification list dipped slightly to 97 from 114 last year at this time.

“Schools face the daunting challenge of up to $4.5 billion in additional cuts if tax extensions are not placed on the ballot by the Legislature and approved by voters in June, an additional cut of 10 percent.” added Torlakson. “This would be devastating to an education system that has already sustained $18 billion in state funding cuts over the last three years – a loss of one-third of the annual budget for schools.”

With an already decimated education budget in California, massive teacher reductions, the loss revenue from these tax extensions could be devastating. Now more than ever, support for GEAR UP programs will continue to be the lever of change throughout school districts in California.

The California Governor’s new budget slashes education across the board, including K-12 and higher education. Despite the dire economic situation in California, educators and voters alike were hoping to restore funding to their needed levels.

Dr. Arun Ramanathan, executive director of The Education Trust—West, issued the following statement regarding the release of Governor Brown’s proposed budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year:

“The proposed budget by Governor Brown identifies painful cuts in education. These could be worse without legislative action and public approval of a potential proposition to extend tax increases – both of which have been difficult to secure in the past.”

“We are deeply concerned about the cuts to education and the potential for deeper cuts. Over the past three years, our state’s budget has been balanced on the backs of our children.  These cuts have disproportionally impacted students of color and students in poverty by increasing class sizes, cutting summer school and eliminating intervention programs that support student learning in districts across California.  For far too long, our education decisions have been made based on adult interests, not the needs of students.” READ MORE HERE.

Brown proposes spending $63.8 billion for K-12 schools next year, down $2.6 billion from this year’s budget, with much of the difference coming from the loss of federal stimulus money. The governor said state funding of schools is “generally even” next year compared with this year because schools have borne the brunt of past spending reductions.

However, some $2 billion of the school money would disappear if voters do not approve an extension of existing taxes in a ballot measure this summer.

The reduction in the education budget alarmed Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers.

“The proposed state budget continues to threaten the future of California by reducing our investment in public education and the students who will lead our state in the coming years,” Hittelman said, adding that the proposed new cuts in education would come on top of $18 billion in school-funding decreases over the last three years.

Brown proposed to reduce funding for the University of California and California State University systems by $500 million each, which he said was “a very difficult cut.”

For Cal State the reduction represents an 18% cut in funding from the state general fund, according to CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed, who predicted it will “have serious impacts on the state’s economy, limit access for students seeking entrance into our universities, and restrict classes and services for our current students.”

UC President Mark G. Yudof called it “a sad day for California” but said “the university will stand up and do all it can to help the state through what is a fiscal, structural and political crisis.”

The proposed budget will also be painful for community college students, who would see their fees climb from $26 per credit unit to $36.

What do you think about the governor’s budget?