Why the Debate Between Advocates and Gov. Newsom Over Black Student Funding Is Heating Up

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

When Gov. Gavin Newsom presented his 2023-24 budget, educators around the state were happy to hear his funding plans for California’s public schools.

The deficit had little impact on education funding. K-12 per-pupil funding is $17,519 from the Prop 98 General Fund and is $23,723 per pupil when accounting for all funding sources. Last year, it was $22,893.

Newsom announced, “We’re keeping our promises.”

The budget reaffirms his commitment to invest in Transitional Kindergarten (TK)-12 education. Funding levels are being maintained for universal TK, community schools, behavioral health programs, special education, programs to mitigate learning loss during COVID-19, teacher and staff recruitment and retention and the universal meals program.

The biggest new program presented in the budget is called the LCFF (Local Control Funding Formula) Equity Multiplier.

“We made a commitment with leaders in the Assembly and the Senate, led by the great work that former Assemblymember Weber and now current member Weber is doing in terms of equity,” Newsom described the program. “We’re committing an additional $300 million in this year’s budget.”

Newsom was referring to the efforts Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber made with Assembly Bill (AB) 2635 and her daughter, Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego), with AB 2774. The bills were written to fix the LCFF by creating a supplemental grant for California’s lowest-performing subgroup of students not currently receiving funding, which are African American students.

Black students have consistently been the lowest performing students in the state. Currently, 70% are not meeting the English Language Arts standards and 84% are not meeting math standards.

About 80,000 African American students -- or just over 25% -- are not receiving additional supplemental funding or accountability through the LCFF.

It’s only by targeting additional funds to the lowest performing subgroup that most school districts will be willing to adopt specific and concrete solutions to bridge the achievement gap for Black students.

Although Shirley Weber had shelved the bill in 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown agreed wealth gap, and a comprehensive presentation of tax law considerations presented by Ray Odom and Sarah Moore Johnson were featured on the first day of the meeting.

California’s AB 3121, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, into law in 2020, created the nine-member task force to investigate the history and costs of slavery in California and around the United States.

Weber spoke briefly at the meeting. She started her academic career as one of SDSU’s youngest professors and established the Africana Studies department in 1972.

San Diego’s 37th Mayor Todd Gloria also spoke at the meeting. Gloria served in the state Assembly from 2016 to 202o.

Chris Ward, Assembly Speaker pro Tempore of the California State Assembly, who serves the 78th Assembly District in central San Diego, made remarks to the panel on opening day of the meeting.

“Your work is going to be pivotal to help so many Californians that have been affected by the injustices and inequalities we have seen in our education system, in our housing system, and economic opportunities,” Ward said. “This is going to be groundbreaking, and I am grateful for the work that you are doing.”

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