Today, educators received some encouraging news, and we appreciate the steps taken to improve education and the recognition that more investment is needed in our schools. However, the governor’s budget proposal falls short of the bold, immediate action needed to address the urgent crises of special education funding and the teacher shortage facing our state.
This proposal must be a starting point—not the final solution. Without immediate action, more students will lose critical services, more classrooms will go without teachers, and our education system will continue to struggle.
The plan to cap out-of-district costs to private providers and offer a $14 million incentive grant to provide high-quality in-district special education programs are all welcome and needed additions. However, our students can’t wait for incremental change—they need action now.
We are disappointed that the governor’s proposal fails to provide immediate relief for special education for this school year or the next. It also does nothing to recruit and retain teachers, especially in special education, where more than 500 teaching positions remain unfilled. If we wait, more students will lose the services they need and deserve, and teachers will continue leaving the profession.
CEA has long advocated for universal preschool and welcomes an endowment plan to make that a reality. The plan to eliminate licensing fees is a good first step, but it barely scratches the surface of the deeper challenges educators are facing every day. Without competitive salaries and real investments in teacher retention and recruitment, the pipeline of future educators will continue to dwindle, as fewer students choose to enter a profession that requires them to work two or three jobs to make ends meet.
Teachers know that hungry students can’t focus, and providing free breakfast is essential to ensuring they are ready to learn. We also recognize the need to minimize classroom distractions, including cell phone use, to keep students engaged. Teachers are deeply concerned about the challenges surrounding immigration and strongly support increased efforts to tackle chronic absenteeism while ensuring our schools remain safe, inclusive, and welcoming environments for all students.
We call on the governor and legislators to build on this proposal with bold, immediate action. Delaying solutions means more students missing out on essential services and more educators struggling to stay in a profession where they can’t afford to support themselves or their families. Our children deserve fully funded schools, strong special education services, and teachers in every classroom—and they deserve it now.