K-12 Tax & Spending Climate: Schools facing storm Money no longer there for education

San Bernardino County Sun:

California's massive 2011-12 budget shortfall won't be closed without big cuts to public education.

The likely result doesn't look pretty.

"Schools will become more and more like prisons and less and less like schools," said David Plank, a professor of education at Stanford University. "You'll have huge classes, restive young people and overworked teachers."

Sound drastic? So is the budget crisis.

Soon after Gov.-elect Jerry Brown is sworn in next month, he will have to present a budget for 2011-12, a year that likely will be worse than any that California schools have endured in modern history.

On Wednesday, Brown noted the budget deficit over the next 18 months is likely worse than previously reported. He released figures showing California stands to lose another $2.7 billion from potential changes to the federal estate tax, swelling the shortfall through June 2012 to $28.1 billion.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at December 14, 2010 3:03 AM
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