"Per pupil funding" is an overused and inconsistent milestone that various special interests use to justify their position that funding is either sufficient or insufficient.

Estimates range from $6500 to almost $10,000 in California's per pupil funding depending on who you ask. The conventional wisdom is if you exclude Title 1, and building construction costs, per pupil funding in California is between $6000 & $7000 per student.

Many pundits today are talking about HUGE bond issues coming next year from the Governor and Legislature, that will vastly increase infrastructure investments. With tax revenues also going up with school enrollments flattening, experts expect per pupil funding to go up.

SO - where do we go from here? Can we increase per pupil funding dramatically to increase educational resources?

Can California step up and eliminate the waste and inefficiences to wring out every necessary dollar?

Can county school agencies take up more of the administrative slack (although they already do a lot) to cut adminstrative costs?

How can we increase the arts, school supply budgets and teacher quality initiatives?

How can we get politics out, be less adversarial and more about the kids?

Do students deserve an educational Bill of Rights?

As we progress towards the new year, I welcome your thoughts.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...

Tim Keaney