As California politicians continue to wrangle over closing the $28 billion hole in the state budget, schools await word on how big a hit there will be in the current-year budget. This, after already taking nearly a $3 billion cut at the beginning of the fiscal year.

The political debate centers on a recurrent theme, with Democrats wanting a balanced response of cuts and new revenues, and Republicans insisting on cuts alone.

The difference between the two approaches is huge for schools. With some new revenues, schools will still have to take $2.2 billion in mid-year cuts to their budgets, added to the $2.8 billion cut already experienced. But with the Republican approach, schools would be facing double that amount, $4.4 billion, for a total cut of $7.2 billion in 2008-09.

It’s up to educators to let the public know exactly how much a cut of this size would decimate public education. So, what would a $7.2 billion cut to California public schools look like? It would mean:

• shutting down every school across the state for 25 days;

• increasing class sizes statewide by more than 50 percent;

• reducing per-student spending by almost $1,200;

• laying off 160,000 classroom teachers;

• laying off 180,000 bus drivers, janitors, food service workers, maintenance workers, and other education support professionals;

• Cutting more than $31,500 per classroom;

• Cutting $12.4 million per school district (in districts with 10,000 students); or

• Eliminating all music, art and career technical education programs statewide with room to cut even more.

Remember, before the national and state economies nosedived, the Getting Down to Facts studies stated K-12 education may need as much as $40 billion more than it had received in 2006-07 in order to ensure that California students could meet the state standards.

Although everyone is well aware that getting more funding in the current economy is impossible, the question is how much can we afford to move in the other direction without sacrificing the education of the next generation of California’s students and workforce?

ACSA is urging every member to contact their state legislators and demand that the budget solution include new revenues to soften the coming blow. Also, inform your local communities about the need for ongoing, stable revenues for school.

Californians value our public schools, and ensuring adequate levels of funding for our classrooms and students must be our state’s highest priority.