Across the country, states are frantically searching for education funding.  California, the most populous state in the Nation, is no exception.  Capitol Weekly gives us a January 22, 2009 update that includes the following points:

• California faces a $40 billion shortage. It is an unprecedented shortfall. Through the middle of 2010, Schwarzenegger is proposing a $7.71 billion cut to K-14 education.
• Cash problems have worsened to the point that the state may not be able to pay all of its bills beginning next month (February).  However, the state by law is still obligated to make sure the schools get money.
• The governor, proposing billions of dollars in cuts, recommends cutting five days of the K-12 school year – the first time that the California school has been targeted for shrinkage rather than expansion.  The number of school days in a year is already lower than the national average.
• Proposition 98, the ballot initiative approved in 1988 that guarantees education funding, would be suspended by the Legislature and Governor.

Despite the budget crisis, the Los Angeles Times reports that while these difficults cuts are being made, the Governor's office is filling lucrative political posts.  According to the Times, "Two GOP lawmakers who recently left office and have limited expertise in thorny employment issues have received jobs at the state Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. The panel met 12 times last year, and members are paid $128,109." The LA Times then goes on to cite additional examples of recently appointed positions.

Relating to citizen services, a link to another story on the same Los Angeles Times page reads, "Governor orders state offices to close 2 days a month."  Here, the is similar to the approach taken with schools, where the proposed way to fix problems is to cut the number of school days.  There is a difference however.  State legislation pays schools by pupil attendance, but teachers and staff aren't paid by pupil attendance, so the fix just changes the amount of money being sent from Sacramento to local schools and leaves the districts to decide how to deal with the shortfall. 

At this point, nothing is final in California regarding the budget.  In yet another twist, State Controller John Chiang filed documents in Superior Court challenging the legitimacy of Schwarzenegger's furlough plan.  It is unclear what the implications may be for programs like K-12 education which are not directly administered by the State.