ACSA and its association partners in the Education Coalition have launched a radio advertisement campaign urging the governor and lawmakers to invest in education and to find common-sense budget solutions that increase revenues.

“ACSA is fully committed, along with our partners in the Education Coalition, to ensuring education funding remains a high budget priority during this difficult budget year,” said ACSA Executive Director Bob Wells. “We need to get the message across to policymakers that the education community will not stand for the budget being balanced on the backs of California students.”

“The Education Coalition wants our elected leaders to know that the time has come to put aside partisan politics and to invest in our children’s future,” said David A. Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Association. “Delaying and cutting school funding through the state budget process only hurts our students.”

“Our state leaders need to put our students’ education at the top of their agenda, and pass a responsible budget that rejects cuts to schools,” said Pam Brady, president of the California State PTA.

“Schools are already suffering from the impact of cuts and delayed funding,” said Paul Chatman, California School Boards Association president. “It’s time to move forward and invest in our kids. California business leaders say the best way to improve our economy is to make sure we have a well-educated workforce – let’s work together to achieve that goal.”

“The final budget agreement must include increased revenues as part of any approach to balancing the budget,” said Marty Hittelman, president of the California Federation of Teachers. “Refusing to support solutions to raise revenues for schools shortchanges our students and California’s future. It’s time for real leadership from our lawmakers.”

Audio versions of the ads can be found at www.protectourstudents.org. The transcripts of the ads follow:

Premise: Mother and 10-year old son, riding in car, listening to radio.
Car Radio (news report): California is still facing a $15 billion budget crisis with local schools facing cuts of $4.3 billion…(fades)
And today in sports…
Child: Mom is that true? Funding for schools is in trouble?
Mom: Your fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Thomason, already got a lay-off notice – along with 20,000 other educators across the state.
Child: Mrs. Thomason?
Mom: Yep, school cuts mean more kids crammed into your classroom and no art or music programs. Child: But doesn’t everyone support public schools?
Mom: Politicians say they do…but it’s time for them to work together and find a real budget solution that increases revenues to protect schools like yours.
Child: Well, what are they waiting for?
Mom: I don’t know, honey…it seems like now’s the time for them to put partisanship aside and make education a real priority again.
Child: What can we do?
Mom: Tell the lawmakers in Sacramento that more education budget cuts will only hurt our kids, so come together and find a common sense solution to protect education, schools…
Child (cutting in): …and my future.
Female voiceover: Paid for by the Education Coalition.

Mother: I’m Lenore…mother of two kids in public schools…and I’m no budget expert, but as California deals with this 15 billion dollar budget mess, I know teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to music and art will only hurt our kids.
We all know standing up for education is really an investment in our children’s future…that’s why business leaders say a well-educated workforce must be a priority – especially in today’s economy.
So more cuts to education are not the solution.
I know it’s not easy to solve these problems…but our lawmakers need to put partisan politics aside and come together with a real budget solution that protects the progress our students are making in classrooms today ­– and gives them the tools they need to succeed tomorrow.
Narrator: So please join parents like Lenore, teachers and other educators in supporting a common sense budget solution that increases revenues so we can protect our schools and solve this budget crisis before school starts.
Voiceover: Paid for by the Education Coalition.