Opposition to Proposition 38: School Vouchers

AS-2507-00/FGA/TEKR - September 14-15, 2000

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University oppose passage of Proposition 38 (School Vouchers. State-Funded Private and Religious Education. Public School Funding.); and be it further

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate CSU recommend that the academic senate of each of the CSU campuses consider adopting a similar resolution.

RATIONALE: The Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU), representing the faculty of a public educational institution, is strongly committed to the concept of a viable system of public education. The ASCSU therefore opposes Proposition 38 (School Vouchers. State-Funded Private and Religious Education. Public School Funding.) for the following reasons:

• The proposition would significantly alter the present system of financing K-14 education, resulting in large initial costs to the state educational budget with no clear accountability to the people of California;
• Both the initial increased costs and uncertain outcomes make it highly imprudent to initiate such sweeping changes on a statewide level;
• The proposition would impose significant new restrictions on the ability of state and local governments to adopt new laws and regulations affecting private schools;
• The ability of private schools under the proposition to restrict admissions "on the basis of ability or disability" will make it likely, according to the legislative analyst, that the responsibility for educating higher-cost pupils-those with special needs-will disproportionately fall upon local school districts, thus significantly increasing average per-pupil costs to public schools;
• Passage of Proposition 38 would signify a decrease in the state's commitment to the long-established principle of support for public education.

APPROVED - September 14, 2000