Gov. Jerry Brown released his proposed state budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year on Jan. 10, stating that California has emerged from great fiscal difficulty with a balanced budget reflecting a state that is living within its means. While challenges and many “devil in the details” type of questions remain to be resolved, the governor’s proposed budget for K-12 schools holds more promise than any education budget in recent years. Since the state legislature has until June 15, to pass the state budget, many details will need to be worked out. All of that said, this is the first positive budget outlook in many years. While some of our Kings County school districts deal with budget deficits, there is for the first time in a long time, a cautious optimism about the future.

Tim Bowers, County Superintendent of Schools