ODYSSEYWARE

The University of California – Los Angeles’ (UCLA) Institute for Democracy, Education and Access conducted an interview of 87 K-12 schools across California as a means of determining how the state’s public schools were dealing with the financial crisis, which has created a national recession. California, with an unemployment rate peaking around 12.4% is struggling to find the tax revenue to continue funding its schools. Adding to the state’s woes, achievement and quality of schools continue to decline in the state, leaving California near the bottom in overall education ranks. But, as Education Week reports, the statistics that will further impact the state’s schools are staggering:

— 62 percent of principals reported that teachers in their schools had been laid off, threatened with layoffs, or reassigned to other schools. The number of actual layoffs was four times greater at schools in poorer communities than wealthier communities.

— 67 percent reported that class sizes had increased, with 74 percent of elementary school principals reporting larger class sizes.

— 75 percent reported that summer school had been reduced or eliminated.

— 75 percent reported reductions in instructional materials and supplies.

— 70 percent reported cuts to professional development programs.

These are very deep cuts that will have an impact on students throughout the state, regardless of the strength an individual school district’s budget. We wish the state luck and offer a hand to help in this difficult time for the country’s largest state.