The U.S. Department of Education told California officials last week that they must respond to allegations raised by educators and community groups that the state’s proposed K-12 budget falls short of meeting the required “maintenance of effort” provision in the federal economic-stimulus law.
The department is giving Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger until March 26 to respond to the allegations. Maintaining a minimum funding level for K-12 education is a condition for states to receive money from the stimulus program’s State Fiscal Stabilization Fund.
California is slated to receive roughly $200 million for schools in the second phase of the fund. The state is grappling with an enormous budget shortfall that is expected to deal more blows to already-battered school districts.