California Budget Makes Provisions for Tech in Education

A special program within the K-12 education budget that funds Internet capabilities in classrooms was given a one-time increase of $50 million.

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Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed the $115.4 billion general fund budget he agreed to with legislative leaders last week. The governor’s office said the budget focuses on paying off state debt, directs more resources to schools and low-income Californians, and makes provisions for technology at all levels of education.

Brown used his line-item veto to eliminate $1.3 million in expenditures — including $1 million for the restoration of Clear Lake.

The full budget summary is available on the ebudget.ca.gov website.

“Despite stronger revenues compared to a year ago, the budget remains precariously balanced,” the summary reads. “The 2015 Budget Act pays down debt and saves for a rainy day as it implements the first year of Proposition 2. In addition, it increases spending on education, health care, In-Home Supportive Services, workforce development, drought assistance and the judiciary.”

As expected, the budget includes 11 new positions to jump-start the new Statewide IT Project Management Office, funded by a $1 million loan from the General Fund for 2015-16. The office will also receive $432,000 from the Technology Services Revolving Fund and ongoing support to develop a statewide project management framework and to manage IT projects.

Through Proposition 98, which was put in place in the late 1980s and secures a baseline amount of funding for education, K-12 schools and higher education will receive $68.4 billion — well above the required minimum amount. A special program within the K-12 education budget that funds Internet capabilities in classrooms was given a one-time increase of $50 million, up from the $26.7 million allocated in the 2014-15 budget.

The Brown administration said funding levels will increase by more than $3,000 per K-12 student in 2015‑16 compared to four years ago.

Also of note in the budget, the California State Library will be given approximately $4.2 million from the General Fund for a “broadband project.” Of that, $4 million will be used on a one-time basis for grants to upgrade the broadband equipment at public libraries, while the additional $225,000 will be for the continued upkeep of those services.

In addition, a new pilot program will be given $1 million in one-time funding to begin a new online high school diploma program.

This story was originally published by TechWire

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