CTA Supports Quality Education Investment Act

CTA’s Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA), passed into law last year,
will help schools that are serving a higher percentage of low income,
minority and English learners to close the achievement gap. Nearly $3
billion will go to K-12 schools with Academic Performance Index (API)
scores in the bottom two deciles over the next seven years to reduce class
sizes, improve teacher and principal training, hire more school counselors,
and give local school districts the flexibility to support programs that best
fit the needs of their students. Community colleges will also receive a
portion of the funding to expand career and vocational education. This
legislation settles the lawsuit that CTA won against Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger after he refused to repay the billions he borrowed from
schools in 2004-05 and repays public schools all the money owed under
Proposition 98.

The California Department of Education has announced the 488 schools
that were approved for funding by unanimous vote of the State Board of
Education in early May.

Some of the goals of the program include:

* Reducing K-12 class sizes
* Having qualified teachers in all core subjects
* Increasing the number of credentialed counselors in high schools
* Establishing district-wide teacher quality index to ensure equitable
distribution of teacher experience
* Quality training programs and time for collaboration


QEIA materials
-- Fact Sheet
-- Deciles 1 and 2 Charts
-- Q&A
-- Radio ads in English & Spanish ("Achievement")
-- Members: View Talking Points  
-- Read the text of SB 1133

CTA QEIA Training
As part of the 2007 Summer Institute, CTA is offering a special training to
help selected schools to provide content and a process to implement the
QEIA program.  Read more...

News Releases
-- State OKs List of 488 Neediest California Public Schools That Will Share
$2.9 Billion From CTA-Backed Law
-- Radio Advertising Campaign Draws Attention to CTA's Quality Education
Investment Act and the Need to Help California's Schools of Greatest Need
-- Critical CTA Legislation Invests $3 Billion in California's Schools of
Greatest Need to Help Close the Achievement Gap
-- Statement from CTA President Barbara E. Kerr on Legislature's Passage
of Quality Education Investment Act
CTA Supports Quality Education
Investment Act