Jane Harman on Life-Long Education

By Jane Harman

To prepare our children for the New Economy, we must build a 21st century educational system. Education must become a lifelong enterprise, providing the tools to learn from early childhood through-out one's life.

Jane Harman's Plan on Life-Long Education: The Programs

Require Fully Qualified Teachers Rapid enrollment growth, high rates of attrition, and class size reduction have created a shortage of qualified teachers in California. Class size reduction has produced a greater need for teachers, but many new teachers are not fully credentialed. In 1996-97, 21% of teachers hired since the start of class size reduction had not completed all of the requirements for a teaching credential.

No Social Promotion Instead of requiring all students to meet a required set of standards before promotion to the next grade level, many are moved ahead to the next grade automatically, regardless of performance. We need clear standards for students to meet, and clear direction that promotion to the next grade will be based on performance and not on age. This will also put schools on notice that they will have to see that students are actually learning.

Lengthen School Year Students will have more time to study the basics if the school year is lengthened by seven days. Most other industrialized states have school years of at least 180 days, and Japan and Germany have 200 day school years. However, lengthening the school year alone will do little unless other reforms, such as strengthening teacher qualifications and adopting standards, are also enacted

Upgrading Technology in Our Schools California has an average of 21 students per computer, higher than the national average of 14 students per computer. Over 1/3 of schools reported insufficient numbers of computers for their students. A still greater problem is inadequate wiring and networking capacity, without which computer resources cannot fully be exploited. In 1994-95, 70% of schools reported insufficient modem and network capability.

Improved Access to Child Care With the advent of class size reduction, many experienced child care providers are becoming school teachers. California families now have a lack of high-quality affordable child care options. For two-income families the lack of day care can be a logisitical nightmare. The State must increase the reimbursement for child care centers, so salaries will increase, and more people will want to enter the field. We must also encourage employers and communities to set up more facilities.

Worker Skills Training Technology is moving so rapidly that often skills learned in the classroom are obsolete by the time a students joins the workforce. We must encourage partnerships between the public and private sector to develop apprenticeship programs and on-site training programs.

School Construction and Rehabilitation According to the California Department of Education, student population is expected to reach 6.4 million by the year 2005. Sixty percent of schools are over 30 years old and many are in poor condition. Reducing class size, better performance, and wiring schools for computers and Internet access are all dependent on facility modernization

Reducing the Vote Threshold on School Bonds California law currently requires approval from 2/3 of voters to pass local school bond measures. As a consequence, these measures are usually defeated despite support from a majority, but not 2/3, of voters. We cannot let a minority of voters control whether communities have enough funds to fix up our run-down schools. Jane Harman's Plan on Life-Long Education: The Costs

Program Cost How Raised Early Childhood Development · Education and training programs on avoidance of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol during pregnancy · Prenatal and postnatal maternal and infant nutrition programs · Immunizations · Child care training for child care providers · Parenting skills education · Domestic violence prevention and treatment · Substance abuse treatment · Child development, health care, and social service programs not provided currently

-- $650 million total

50¢ per pack tax on cigarettes

-- $150 million
-- $50 million
-- $15 million Portion of an additional 50¢ per pack tax on cigarettes No Social Promotion · Mandatory summer school for students who fail major exams in 4th, 8th, and 12th grades · Offer ongoing remedial programs for students falling behind · Require all students to pass an exam to graduate high school

-- $25 million

Portion of additional revenues from a 50¢ per pack tax on cigarettes

$350 million in Governor's proposed 1998-99 budget. Another $10 million provided through ongoing budget surplus funds.

Increase Availability of Computers In the Classroom & Wire Schools · Allocate funds to increase number of computers in the classroom · Provide state grants to districts to wire schools for Internet access.
-- $100 million
-- $50 million $75 million in Governor's proposed 1998-99 budget. $25 million from portion of revenues from 50¢ per pack tax on cigarettes. Another $50 million from future surplus for the wiring grants. Increase Access to Affordable Child Care · Provide incentives for employers and local communities to improve daycare options for workers and their families. · Increase State reimbursement to child care centers and improve child care worker skills training.

-- $150 million Portion of revenues from 50¢ per pack tax on cigarettes.

-- $100 million Portion of revenues from 50¢ per pack tax on cigarettes.

School Construction and Rehabilitation -- Jane Harman also supports placing a school construction bond measure on the ballot to: · Build new schools to address the growing school age population · Provide funds to local districts to rehabilitate schools and colleges in disrepair · Reduce the vote threshold for passing local school bonds to a majority vote instead of a 2/3 vote.

Legislative leaders and the Governor are currently negotiating for inclusion of such a bond on the November 1998 ballot.

Jane Harman's Plan on Life-Long Education: The Fund Source Breakdown

$650 million from the "California Children and Families First Act" Initiative's 50¢ cigarette tax increase $657 million from a new 50¢ cigarette tax increase $425 million designated in Governor's 1998-99 budget proposal $ 60 million surplus funds beginning in the 1999-2000 budget.

TOTAL: $1.792 billion (plus another $9.2 billion raised through a general obligation bond for school construction)

Note on Revenues Derived from 50 Cent Cigarette Taxes

Note on the Budget Surplus

Note on Childhood Development Funds