Local, state educators pleased with Brown’s state spending plan

Educators are hopeful about Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed state budget, which was released Thursday.

The proposed budget for 2016-17 increases public spending for education to $10,591 per student – an increase of nearly $3,600. About $300 million will also go to career technical education.

Fresno Unified Chief Financial Officer Ruthie Quinto said in a statement Thursday that the new budget means more for Fresno’s most at-risk students.

“For Fresno Unified the vast majority of those funds … provide increased services for our students living in the most disadvantaged of circumstances: students living in poverty, homeless students and those in the foster system,” Quinto said via email.

Fresno Unified officials said they need more time to evaluate how the state budget will affect local funds. They plan to make a public presentation to the school board this month.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson called Brown’s proposal a “good news budget for our students, teachers, parents, communities and businesses.”

“I look forward to the discussion about early learning, which the governor’s budget identifies as a top priority. Details matter. We need to keep working together to provide high-quality instruction for our youngest learners, especially at-risk children in low-income communities,” Torlakson said.

This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Local, state educators pleased with Brown’s state spending plan."