Senator Dave Cox

2140 Professional Drive, Suite 140

Roseville, CA 95661

Dear Senator Cox,

I ask your help in stopping State budget cuts to education which will result in cuts in funding for classrooms and students in California. California is in danger of 137, 000 teachers losing their jobs, suspending class size reduction, creating larger class sizes in general, and minimizing or losing textbook and instructional expenditures; all of which directly affects a student’s ability to learn in the classroom. These are real threats in my school district’s future.

The API scores in California have improved but can be better, and cutting funding to the classrooms will slow or reverse those scores. California is 46th per capita in spending on education at an average of $2,000 less per student than the national average. California classrooms already experience overcrowding and loss of services that affect the health and well-being of students and their ability to learn. California places a higher spending priority on healthcare and prisons. If spending on education became the priority, the need for budget dollars spent on healthcare and prisons would reduce. The Federal No Child Left Behind Act hands down directives without adequate funding, yet increases the pressure on the expectations of and what is provided to the student in the classroom.

Many parents/guardians across economic lines and among a myriad of personal circumstances rely solely on what public education provides their children to prepare them for their future as adults. Clearly, funding cuts that affect the classroom are in danger of taking away opportunities for these students to have the skills they need to progress from grade to grade skill levels, and most importantly, become productive California citizens.

I am a resident of Calaveras County and the children of this County will experience the direct affects of budget cuts to education. I ask your help with the following:

 * Prevent these proposed budget cuts to education that will directly affect the children in

the classroom

 * Make education a higher priority in this State’s budget rather than being ranked 46th in

the national average of educational funding

 * Protect Prop 98 funding which preserves 20% of the State Budget for education

 * Protect the classroom by directing the California State Department of Education to

reengineer how they do business to better manage administrative costs

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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