Gov. Brown's Education Funding Proposal Draws Skeptics

ELK GROVE (CBS13) - Education was a big winner in Gov. Brown's budget proposal, ut how that money will be divided is causing controversy.

If approved, schools in lower socio-economic areas will get more money than schools in richer areas. As can be imagined, parents are split on this.

With an extra $6 billion dollars set to be infused into a public school system decimated over the past several years, the question now turns to how California splits up the new money.

"It is controversial, but it is fair, it's right and it's just," Brown said earlier this week when he presented his budget.

Brown stated it simply: schools in poorer areas should get a larger portion than schools in more well-off neighborhoods.

"Treating people unequally equally is not justice, and people are in different situations," Brown said.

But not all parents agree with the governor's logic.

"I prefer that they be fair across the line," Julie Moua said.

"I think that's a fair idea," Victor DeMarco said.

School administrators want to know more details.

"I think it does have the potential of having winners and losers," said Elk Grove Unified Superintendent Steven Ladd.

Ladd has met with the governor to discuss the idea, but he is concerned the extra cash will be weighted in favor of districts with more disadvantaged students, hurting those needing help in more affluent areas.

"The children with the same needs in two different districts could receive two different pots of dollars," he said.

Yuri Penermon, the principal at James Rutter Middle School in a lower income area of Sacramento County, also isn't sure Gov. Brown's plan makes sense.

"I don't think we want to say that one school is more deserving than another school," he said. "It's about are we meeting the needs of all schools?"

The exact details of the governor's formula are not yet finalized. The funding plan will, of course, also have to pass through the state legislature.