New state education funds promote district improvements

Due to a continuous financial crisis, California has a history of extremely low rates for school district
funding. But in early January, Governor Jerry Brown released a proposal to increase education funding. It is expected to increase funding to $2.4 billion, bringing Proposition 98 funding to $71.6 billion. Compared to four years ago, that is a 39 percent increase.

“Relative to budgets of the past, this budget is in good shape,” Brown said in a Jan. 7 press release. “We
also ought to look at what the capacity of the state is, and what the taxpayer willingness is to spend more.”
Palos Verdes Unified School District (PVPUSD) falls below the basic average daily attendance (ADA) money received from the state. A standard ADA for any district in California is approximately $489 for
the upcoming school year. PVPUSD, however, only receives $288 per ADA. PVPUSD’s total ADA per year is around $3.2 million, which is lower than an average California school district, most of which are impacted by poverty and other factors. PVPUSD Deputy Superintendent Lydia Cano, is responsible for making sure these funds are available to support the learning environment for students.
“This absolutely benefits our schools,” Cano said, referring to Brown’s proposal. “Any new funding, whether ongoing or one-time, allows the district to support our educational programs.”
The district hopes to benefit from this by improving educational programs, including future textbook
adoptions, ongoing facility needs, increasing benefits and increasing operational costs. PVPUSD Superintendent Don Austin and the rest of the district are working on including proposals to spend the first $5 million in onetime money.
“We are hoping to make some nice improvements for our staff and students,” Austin said. “This may include an infusion of dollars to our STEM program, some facilities upgrades and new equipment.”
Austin ensures the district will benefit from this proposal. According to Austin, the proposal gives them
a different way of working with the money coming from the state. The plans for future educational programs are expected to improve within the years ahead.
“We are taking a little extra time to make sure we use the money to the best of our ability,” Austin said.
Although PVPUSD may not currently receive as much funding as most schools, the Peninsula Education Foundation (PEF) helps with donations from the community. PEF is crucial to make up for the lack
of funding from the state. By raising money through fundraisers, donations and campaigns, PEF is able to add to the district’s funding.