SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord) recently introduced legislation that will help equip schools and teachers with the necessary resources to prepare California students for higher education and the shifting, technology-based economy. Assembly Bill 631 establishes the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards Implementation Fund, calling for the allocation of $2 billion from the State General Fund. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) projects a budget surplus from increased tax revenues, which will free up approximately $2 billion that is required to be used for educational purposes.
“AB 631 takes advantage of this prime opportunity to increase much needed investment in professional development for teachers, technology-based instruction for students, and instructional materials aligned with the new Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards,” said Assemblywoman Bonilla. “Ongoing state investment is critical if we wish to build upon the progress that has already been made.”
“Nothing is more important than an investment on behalf of students to support the teaching and learning of California’s new Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards,” said Wes Smith, Executive Director of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). “We are proud to sponsor Assembly Member Susan Bonilla’s bill to ensure that a modest, but critical investment is made to meet the achievement standards we have set for the 6 million public school students in California.”
Over the past two years Assemblywoman Bonilla has led efforts to successfully secure funding for Common Core implementation and technology enhancements, which have made a significant difference for all school districts across the state. Mount Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD) in Contra Costa County is one of those districts, and received approximately $6.3 million in one-time funds in 2013. This money has been utilized by schools to provide extensive on-site trainings that assist teachers in realigning their lessons to new content standards. In addition, schools were able to purchase brand new computers that have allowed for a variation in instructional practices, which have enriched the learning experiences of students who are excelling and also for students who are struggling.
“Not only is additional funding instrumental in the development of more high quality teachers, but educators provided with the necessary tools and training, will produce competitive students equipped with the skills that employers are seeking,” said Assemblywoman Bonilla.
“The Silicon Valley Leadership Group supports Assemblywoman Bonilla’s efforts to bolster our local school districts’ infrastructure and to prepare our schools, teachers and students for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards,” said Carl Guardino, President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. “These important standards can only be implemented with robust support from the State and through proper training of teachers.”
Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla (D-Concord) was elected in November 2010 and represents California’s 14th Assembly District, which includes Contra Costa County and Solano County.
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No good deed goes unpunished
by Ellis Goldberg
Voters in Senate District 7 are again being inundated with campaign mail, including an expensive 16 page mailer from the California Professional Firefighters Independent Expenditure Political Action Committee. The mailer praises Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla however it does not hint at the real reason the firefighters chose to spend union dues on the mailer.
The real reason: Assembly Bill 197, an “anti pension spiking” measure authored by Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan. AB197 bars the inclusion of unused vacation, sick and other types of “terminal leave” in an employee’s retirement calculation formula beyond what he or she would earn in a year. The Contra Costa County Employees Retirement Association board prohibited the use of terminal pay for all employees hired starting Jan. 1, 2013. After AB197 passed, the pension board reluctantly stripped the perk away from existing employees. Public employee unions responded with lawsuits in four counties, arguing that the promised benefits are vested rights that cannot be taken away. State attorneys say it was an illegal benefit to which they were never entitled.
The list below of endorsing labor organizations on the back of the mailer includes many unions where before AB197 spiking was a common practice used to increase pensions 10 to 16 percent. The endorsing unions are punishing Joan Buchanan for having the guts to stand up for taxpayers, those whose future pensions are threatened by under funding and all the unions that experienced negative public blowback because of spiking practiced by a few.
See SJ Mercury News articles:
California AG seeks merge four pension reform challenges
New Pension rules go before Contra Costa County
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