California’s public-school administrators took a test this year, and they failed miserably.

October 29, 2021
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California’s public-school administrators took a test this year, and they failed miserably.

No, we’re not talking about their refusal to reopen classrooms when data showed it was safe to do so. And no, we’re not talking about abysmal student reading and math scores ([link removed]) .

We’re talking about the way they’ve demonstrated that, even with unprecedented amounts of cash, they just can’t provide the education California kids deserve. The education establishment has shown that it’s not a lack of funding preventing our schools from succeeding, but rather, failing leadership.

Through a series of federal aid packages intended to help students recover some of the learning loss and mental anguish ([link removed]) caused by the union-induced school closures, California schools received a record $15.3 billion in one-time, additional funding this year ([link removed]) . The aid provided the very thing teachers unions and administrators have told us for decades was needed before they could perform at a satisfactory level: more money.

Well, they got it.

Unfortunately, California kids don’t seem to be getting much of it.

In fact, education bureaucrats have proven themselves so ineffective that California kids now stand to lose $160 million of that purportedly critical aid ([link removed]) because the California Department of Education is either unable or unwilling to provide the most basic-level oversight required by the federal government on how the money is being spent. It’s akin to someone claiming to be starving, coming across a $5 on a sidewalk, and not bothering to bend over and pick it up.

According to a scathing report issued by State Auditor Elaine Howle ([link removed]) , the state is not ensuring school districts are reporting how they are spending their federal aid; is not monitoring which districts are likely to see their funding revoked for failing to meet deadlines or transparency standards; nor is it verifying that districts are spending the aid on permissible expenditures.

Just how little oversight are we talking about? According to the report, the state is monitoring fewer than 1% of districts.

The auditor’s report indicated schools may be spending significant amounts of this money on salaries. Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Mary Nicely rejected a suggestion to provide greater oversight to schools making high expenditures in the “other” category, where salary spending falls. There are numerous ways public schools ([link removed]) could be spending this money to help students, from providing targeted education savings accounts that equip parents with money to supplement their child’s education in the areas most needed, to funding local learning pods for children to be educated in small-group, multi-grade settings outside the traditional classroom.

As a consequence of the state’s lack of oversight, the federal government could revoke $160 million of the initial aid schools have received, reducing the likelihood that California kids will receive the support they’re owed. The auditor stresses compliance will become even more important in the future, as the state receives the remainder of its federal allocations.

Meanwhile, the California Department of Education has also largely failed to distribute federal aid earmarked to help students in private schools. Though taxpayers typically don’t fund private and parochial institutions, Congress made an exception because all children experienced hardship from the pandemic; it offered about $368 million to non-public institutions in the state.

The money is mostly slated to go to urban schools that serve underprivileged children, and Governor Gavin Newsom promised it to school leaders seven months ago. As detailed by Ed Source ([link removed]) , many of these schools purchased Chromebooks so their students could learn remotely, and installed air filtration systems, expecting to receive the money months ago. They're still waiting. Worse, the state has yet to tell the schools which vendors it may use for services, and doesn’t anticipate providing such information until February - over a year after Congress authorized this funding.

While we may not know how California’s public schools are spending their federal aid, or when private schools will get the money they’re owed, the California Department of Education has been clear about one thing: despite what we’re always told, more money won’t lead to better outcomes. Likelier, it will be squandered.
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Quote of the week
“The unions clearly need to get their houses in order, but the controversies have wide-ranging political importance given the outsized role these unions play in California politics. We’re not fans of government unions in general, but it’s about time they stay in their lane and stick to helping members rather than muscling lawmakers.” — The Editorial Board, Daily Breeze ([link removed])

More from CPC
* Normal parents fought Merrick Garland and saved America in just 18 days. In California, the battle continues ([link removed])
* The kids most definitely are not all right ([link removed])
* Finding common ground in California ([link removed])
* Note to California’s public officials: Raising pay of government workers is not the biggest challenge facing California ([link removed])

CPC and allies in the news
* Advocating for our children during COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t mean parents are anti-vax ([link removed])
* Garland’s attempts to silence parents nothing new for Californians ([link removed])

* Ballot initiative proposes phasing in school choice for California students ([link removed])

Classroom headlines
* Falling grades, stalled learning. L.A. students ‘need help now,’ Times analysis shows ([link removed])
* Pediatricians say the mental health crisis among kids has become a national emergency ([link removed])
* ‘No Mandate Monday’ takes hold at California HS ([link removed])
* National School Boards Association apologizes for letter comparing parents to terrorists ([link removed])
* Condoleezza Rice denounces critical race theory: ‘I don’t have to make White kids feel bad for being White’ ([link removed])
* For months, California private schools have been waiting for ‘emergency’ COVID aid ([link removed])
* Los Alamitos School Board president apologizes after disparaging remark caught on ‘hot mic’ ([link removed])
* Garland refuses to dissolve school-board task force despite national school board group apology ([link removed])
* Unvaccinated students in Oakland to transfer or be dropped from enrollment in January ([link removed])
* Granada Hills Charter school fires 7 employees for refusing COVID vaccine ([link removed])

Union news
* Disgraced California union leader keeps board seats after arrest ([link removed])
* Newsom targets oil drilling over union objections ([link removed])
* SEIU scandals: time to limit union politics ([link removed])

Other things we’re reading
* California is ruled by regulators answering to no one at all ([link removed])
* Another In-N-Out closes over COVID vaccine mandate ([link removed])
* Veteran State Auditor Elaine Howle to retire at year’s end ([link removed])
* Los Angeles City Council passes $40 million universal basic income pilot program ([link removed])
* Will California’s auditor remain independent? ([link removed])
* Gov. Newsom traveling to Scotland for climate change conference with 22 lawmakers, agency heads ([link removed])
* California plans ambitious effort to vaccinate young children ([link removed])
* Federal grants a temporary fix to the high-speed rail project’s permanent flaws ([link removed])

Connect with CPC

Want to keep up with CPC and our partners during the week? Follow us on Twitter ([link removed]) , join our Facebook ([link removed]) community, and sign up to be part of the growing Parent Union ([link removed]) .


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