TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to prepare a resolution for presentation during the May 13, 2008 City Council meeting honoring Californians for Justice for coordinating the "Day of Action" dedicated to advocating for a state budget that supports quality public schools in partnership with the statewide Campaign for Quality Education.
DISCUSSION
Californians for Justice (CFJ) is a statewide grassroots organization with a local office in Long Beach working for justice by organizing and building the power of often-marginalized communities, including youth, immigrants, low-income people and communities of color in order to improve their social, economic and political conditions. CFJ continues to lead efforts for LBUSD to adopt universal A-G requirements at Long Beach high schools to ensure that all students have access to quality education and opportunities.
Californians For Justice is currently coordinating a statewide Campaign for Quality Education in partnership Youth Together, Public Advocates, and the Applied Research Center. The Campaign is organizing a "Day of Action" on Thursday, May 15, 2008, in which thousands of students, parents, community advocates, and supporters will converge on Sacramento to advocate that the Governor keep his promise to make 2008 the "Year of Education" by fully funding education.
The Day of Action will further CFJ's mission to enhance education and empower youth with knowledge, skills and hope. CFJ is advocating against the Governor's proposed $5 billion cuts to the education budget, as such cuts will have a devastating impact on our already under-funded schools. California already ranks 46th in the nation in per pupil spending, at nearly $1900 below the national per-student average. The proposed budget cut is the equivalent of laying off more than 107,00 teachers, or gutting per-student funding by more than $800, or cutting more than $24,000 per classroom statewide, or increasing class sizes statewide by as much as...
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