Good News from Governor Brown

Governor Brown's 2015-16 Budget Proposal

Governor Brown presenting his Budget Proposal

On Friday, January 9th, Governor Brown presented his Budget Proposal for 2015-16.

This is the first step in the process to decide how California will spend tax money.

There was good news in his proposal:

*  500 million dollars for Adult Education

*  For K-12 Adult Schools, like our school, the money will continue in the same way for a year

*  When that year is done, a new system of Local Allotment Boards will decide how much money each local school gets.

This is great news and a big change from other years.  Governor Brown finally really understands that Adult Education matters.  Before, he did not understand.  He did not really understand Adult Education or K12 Adult Schools. 

Now he understands.  He did not put all Adult Education inside Community Colleges.  He gave Adult Education - the new Regional Consortia system - 500 million dollars.  He gave each Regional Consortium a way to make decisions.  And very important:  He is talking about Adult Education.  He said that spending money on Adult Education and Career Tech will help end poverty.  We are glad and grateful that Governor Brown understands.


Why does Governor Brown understand Adult Education matters?

 

ESL Student Council
Morning President
Daniel

Adult School students all over California sent thousands of letters and emails to Governor Brown. 

Our school sent over 700 letters.

You can read about Red Letter Day & Night 2014 here.

You can read William Gonzalez' letter to Governor Brown here.

Our student leaders presented workshops to help other schools become active like our school.  You can read about their workshop at CATESOL here.

ESL Student Council Evening President
Maricruz with mailbox for letters

Students mailing letters
with Teacher Shirley and Mr. T



Adult School students wearing
Red for Adult Ed on Tuesday
in Los Angeles

Other schools sent letters and took action, too.   Adult School students wrote letters to the Governor, wrote letters to newspapers, visited legislators at their local offices and in Sacramento, and did many more things to bring attention to the value of Adult Schools and Adult Education. 




And of course, our students - and students all across California - wore Red for Adult Ed on Tuesdays. 



Rally for Adult Education in Los Angeles

Adult School students sent a clear message:

* Adult Education matters

* K12 Adult Schools need Dedicated Funding

Governor Brown listened.



What happens next?

People and the Legislature will think and talk about Governor's Brown proposal.   Everyone will discuss things, suggest changes, and maybe argue about things.  The Legislature will make their own budget.

The LAO - the Legislative Analyst Office - will analyze the Budget Proposal. 

The State Senate and the State Assembly will each make their own Budget Proposals.

The Governor will present his "May Revise."  Revise means change.  The May Revise is the new version of the Budget Proposal.

The Assembly and the Senate will discuss and vote on the final Budget Proposal.

The Governor will veto it or sign it.  Veto means reject.  If he vetoes it, the Legislature has to make more changes.  Everyone will discuss and argue and make changes until finally they all agree to something and the Governor signs it.

The start of the new fiscal year is July 1.  Fiscal means money.

The money year, the start of the new budget, is July 1, 2015.

You can see a diagram with the budget steps here.

We will not know the final result until July 1.

But this year, we know we have a very good chance to have a very good result.

This year, thanks to your work, we know that Governor Brown and the Legislature finally and really understand: 

Adult Education Matters!