Black students rally for more public education funding at the Capitol
SACRAMENTO -- Thousands of students who are unhappy with Governor Newsom's proposed education budget took to the Capitol on Tuesday.
The Black in School Coalition held a rally, saying that the Governor's budget doesn't do enough to close the academic achievement gap between black students and other groups on state tests.
The Governor is proposing sweeping changes to the k-12 accountability system and $300 million in new "equity multiplier" funding. His proposal would require all school districts to publicly identify where African American student performance is lagging and develop comprehensive action plans to improve performance. Districts serving 95% of African American students in California would need to develop, fund and implement specific strategies to address significant opportunity and outcome gaps for African American students.
Christina Laster, the Western Regional Education Director for National Action Network, said, "There's a lot of talk about the ways in which California is leading, but when it comes to black children and families, we're not leading. So I believe that this state and the power and the social capital and the economic capital that it has can do a lot better by black children and families."
The Black in School Coalition says black students are getting scraps in terms of California education funding.
They claim the budget as it stands helps mostly Latino students, but black students are below every other racial or ethnic group when it comes to classroom performance.
On the other hand, the proposal has received broad support, including Dr. Weber, the author of AB 2774, and members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators, among others.
A spokesperson from the Governor's office said, "Governor Newsom's proposal is a monumental shift in California's longstanding fight to close persistent achievement gaps and deliver on the promise of an equitable education for all students. There's a reason why the Governor's proposal has broad support from Black leaders, educators, and civil rights organizations across the state: this plan is an unmatched game-changer for advancing equity and student achievement using both carrots and sticks — funding and accountability."
