California Governor Proposes $1 Billion For Common Core Implementation

The Sacramento (CA) Bee (5/15, Siders) reports that California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has released a budget proposal including plans for spending $1 billion for Common Core Standards implementation. The piece notes that the move comes as the state is set to channel some $4.5 billion in revenue surplus to schools, and that Brown is "seeking a major overhaul of education funding," "seeking to give local school districts greater flexibility in how they spend state money while directing more money to school districts with high proportions of poor students and English learners."

EdSource Today (5/15) reports that Brown called for directing "all of the extra $2.8 billion in revenue that the state expects to receive this year to K-12 schools and community colleges, mostly for one-time uses, including $1 billion to implement the Common Core standards." The piece explains that the $2.8 figure is a revised total of the unexpected revenues, owing to "sequestration of federal spending and new payroll projections." Brown also "defended his sweeping school finance reform, which would direct significantly more money to low-income students and English learners."

The AP (5/14, Lin, Williams) reports that Brown blamed the Federal government's decision not to extend a 2% payroll tax reduction and sequestration for "eroding the budget projections for the fiscal year that starts July 1." Southern California Public Radio (5/14, Nixon) reports in its "Education" blog that the Common Core implementation funding will amount to roughly $170 per student. The article explains how the remainder of the funding will be distributed to districts. The Chico (CA) Enterprise-Record (5/15, Richman) also covers this story.