In a revised fiscal 2006 budget plan, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposes spending an additional $252 million on K-12 education, including $174 million to reduce class sizes in the lowest-performing schools.
But the Republican governor angered Democrats last week when he said that he never promised in December 2003 to reinstate about $2 billion in K-12 funds, that were left out of the 2005 budget, when the state’s economy improved.
His fiscal 2006 budget plan has drawn fire from education groups who say he reneged on the funding agreement. (“School Groups in ‘Dogfight’ With California Governor,” March 30, 2005.) His revised, $115.7 billion proposal directs the bulk of new spending to a $1.3 billion transportation plan.
The plan adds a $49.5 million “recruitment, retention, and recognition” block grant for the lowest-performing schools, and extra aid to about 2,400 schools to reduce class sizes in any grades.