In regard to the recent release of studies on school governance and finance overhaul, ACSA and other members of the Education Coalition are taking the stance that any reforms or efficiencies must be tied to adequate resources for schools. There can be no reforms without funding directly tied to them. Adequate funding is essential.

This message is already starting to resonate with the Legislature. The speaker of the Assembly recently attended ACSA’s Board of Directors meeting and stated that reforms must be tied to adequate funding. Other legislators and leaders throughout the state are beginning to repeat this message as well.

ACSA’s Superintendency Council has created a task force to help coordinate the delivery of the message and information to the field and to solidify this message to the public, business, and other interested parties. This task force wants input from ACSA membership, and the association is currently developing the mechanisms for this to occur. One way will be to work through ACSA councils and committees and through state regions.

The Education Coalition has directed each member association’s communications directors and directors of governmental relations to launch a paid media campaign to ensure they continue to have the strongest voice in the discussion of efficiency and adequacy of funding. Also, a sub-group of the Education Coalition will begin meeting to address consensus issues.

In the immediate picture, the Education Coalition is working with legislative leadership to limit legislative proposals this year. The coalition is opposed to any new legislative reforms taken out of context of this research until funding has been identified.

ACSA will roll out an all-inclusive packet of information at the May Delegate Assembly. This packet of information will provide action steps and checklists as well as talking points, summaries of the research, consensus issues with the Education Coalition, and any other information necessary for ACSA members to understand the issues surrounding the adequate funding efforts and any potential ballot initiative in 2008. This information will be made available to general membership.

ACSA will be working in partnership with the California School Boards Association on the implementation of its public outreach grant by helping develop the information to be disseminated and identifying members to participate in trainings. This summer, trainings will occur throughout the state in order for ACSA members to be ready for community outreach in the fall regarding the adequate funding effort and potential 2008 initiative.

Please continue to check the ACSA Web site at www.acsa.org for updated information on adequacy and efficiency. If you do not already receive regular e-mails from ACSA and would like to be included in updates, please send an e-mail to ACSA Legislative Advocate Laura Jeffries at lwalkerjeffries@acsa.org and she will be happy to add you to the e-mail list.