These bills would repeal the cap on school district reserves under the statute related to Proposition 2 Rainy Day Initiative.

Call Members of the Assembly and Senate Education Committees!

Key Message: Transparency of reserves allows educators, parents and communities to come together to make informed decisions about the education of local students. During the economic downturn that resulted in drastic budget cuts, rather than spend down their large reserves, many school districts reduced staff, cut the school year, increased class sizes and at the same time increased their reserves.

Talking Points:

• Our students have endured years of devastating budget cuts and Californians overwhelmingly voted to pass Prop. 30 to keep more cuts from happening and to reinvest in our students. It is unacceptable for school districts to be sitting on excessive reserves while student programs that were cut could be restored and when California ranks 46^th in the nation in per pupil funding. School districts should spend taxpayers’ dollars in the classroom and on our students.
• During the economic downturn, large district reserves did little to mitigate the impact on our students. In fact, rather than spend down their large reserves, many school districts increased them. That’s outrageous considering the significant amount of program cuts that impacted students, such as larger class sizes, as well as educators with layoffs and furlough days.
• Large reserves didn’t help us weather the economic storm, educators taking pay cuts, students with larger class sizes, and reduced work years, etc. did.
• It is unlikely the requirement in Prop. 2 to spend down school district reserves will be triggered in the next several years. If the trigger occurs it would only be a one-time spend down for one year only.

Please click here:

http://capwiz.com/nea/ca/issues/alert/?alertid=65020656&PROCESS=Take+Action

To take action!!!!!!