6.22.2010

A Look at How Public Schools Fared Over the Last 13 Budgets

Michael Hulsizer, head of legislative affairs for the office of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, compiled the following comparison of the state’s general fund revenue growth and public school spending from July 1, 1998 through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.

There is also a percentage comparison of the increase in public school spending compared to other areas of the budget for the same period.

This information may be of value to the special two-house conference committee working to reconcile differences between the Senate’s proposed budget and that of the Assembly.

The findings might also be informative for lawmakers of both parties as they prepare to eventually vote on the contents of the conference committee’s completed work.

Hulsizer’s principle sources, which are listed at the bottom of each chart, are the Legislative Analyst, the governor’s proposed budget and the Department of Finance.

School Spending1SchoolSpending2

Below is the same comparison for the years of the Schwarzenegger administration, beginning with the fiscal year starting July 1, 2004.

SchoolSpending3SchoolSpending4-30-

Filed under: Budget and Economy



3 Comments »

  1. This is what folks in the education field have been saying all along. Education in California has taken the hit repeatedly in the budget battles, while other parts of the budget have actually grown at a rate in excess of the increase in revenue. What would things look like if each department had grown or shrank at a rate equal to the increase or decrease in state revenue?

    Comment by Bob Raines — 6.22.2010 @ 4:12 pm

  2. Exactly. And in the past two years, education has absorbed 60% of the cuts even though it only makes up 40% of the state budget.

    Comment by Robin Swanson — 6.23.2010 @ 6:07 am

  3. But how can this be when the polls and the politicians say Education is our #1 priority?

    Comment by Teri — 6.24.2010 @ 2:09 pm

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