It cannot be said often enough that lack of money is not the problem with education in California. Simply put, when you throw more money at the government education bureaucracy, all it does is ensure a bigger government education bureaucracy – rife with excess administrators, consultants, teachers, and programs. Before the latest barrage of money, California was in the middle of the spending pack nationally, though just 34% of California 4th-graders scored proficient in math on the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), placing the state 44th nationwide.
The governor of CA is about to go on a taxpayer-funded spending orgy.
Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his education spending plan, which comes to $119 billion including local, state and federal sources. This would raise per-pupil spending to $20,855, and make California one of the highest spending states in the country. (That dollar amount does not include often extravagant health care perks and budget busting pension obligations.) The only hitch is that the plan needs legislative approval, which could come as late as June.
While a few of Newsom’s spending ideas have merit, like using some money to help students get caught up after the Covid hysteria dissipates, much of the loot will not help kids at all.