Education changes laid out in Gov. Jerry Brown's State of the State address Wednesday could jeopardize programs that limit class sizes and help students prepare for college.

But school officials said the changes could give districts more flexibility and local control over funding.

In his speech, Brown called for changes that would eliminate earmarked money for special school programs. He wants instead to give schools a lump sum to pay for their programs.

The change could wipe out funding for some successful programs, such as AVID -- Advancement Via Individual Determination -- a college readiness program for students from families with little or no college experience, said Fresno County schools Superintendent Larry Powell. The program has helped students in Fresno and elsewhere.

Brown wants to instead push funding toward school districts with low-income, disadvantaged and English-learner students. In theory, districts with more challenged students would get more money, and district officials could decide how to spend the funds.

Brown based his idea for a weighted formula on a proposal in an earlier educational study, but no specifics were outlined in the governor's proposal, said John Fensterwald with the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, a leading California education policy organization.

Some Fresno schools would benefit, Powell said, as would schools in rural areas like Firebaugh and Mendota.

Other parts of Fresno County, particularly Clovis Unified School District, could lose program funding.

Powell said the funding change could offer more support to students who struggle with language barriers and other learning challenges, but at the expense of other students.

"Good programs, effective programs [such as AVID] could be eliminated, and while you help one group, you end up with another group in a deficit," Powell said.

The proposed change in funding will allow school districts more spending flexibility, said Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson.

"This is a public acknowledgment that [money] comes with too many strings attached," he said.

Brown also proposes ending the funding category that pays districts to keep class sizes small.

Trustee Larry Moore said ending class-size reduction funding "would be an absolute disaster." He said some K-3 classes are already busting with 30 students.

Class-size reduction is a program supported by teachers.

But Brown offered some good news for teachers by proposing to reduce state testing. Excessive regulations, Brown has said, have made testing -- not education -- the focus of a school day.

Brown noted Wednesday that reduced testing will let teachers spend more time teaching subjects other than math and English -- and local educators agree.

"It would give us more time for instruction and more time for alternative classes like art and drama and dance," Powell said.

But Fresno Unified Trustee Michelle Asadoorian said she was concerned that teachers would lose a valuable tool for assessing students if schools cut out state testing.

Hanson said the governor's plan is vague about which testing he wants eliminated.

Test results give parents a way to evaluate schools, and they've grown accustomed to seeing them yearly, he said.

Lacy Barnes, senior vice president of the California Federation of Teachers and a Reedley College instructor, contends that there are better ways to understand students' academic strengths and weaknesses, however. With fewer state tests to prepare for, teachers could spend more time focusing on students' needs and bring more creativity to their teaching.

Barnes said Brown's proposal shows he's finally listening and "talking to folks who are closer to the educational process."