Today’s a day of opportunity: A Family Man’s Honest Letter About What’s Happening in Education Funding

 Collage-style image promoting advocacy for California public schools. Text reads, "Today is a day of opportunity. Our actions? Join our call and make our voice heard." Actions listed include calling Senator Alex Padilla, voicing support for California and SFUSD, and emphasizing the importance of the U.S. Department of Education. 

Every night, after dinner and dishes, I sit at the kitchen table with my daughter to check her homework. Some nights it’s math. Some nights it’s reading. But lately, I’ve been thinking about something far more serious than school assignments:

Will her school have enough teachers next year?
 Will my son still get the special support he needs?
 Will our schools still feel safe, growing places for all our children?

I recently looked at the government’s education budget—the real numbers. And as a father, I felt scared. Not because I understand every dollar sign or big word in those reports… but because I understand what happens at home when school falls apart.

What’s Really Happening?

The government just made huge changes to how schools will be funded over the next two years. Some programs are getting more money, but many important ones are getting cut. And when that happens, it’s our kids—your kids—who will feel it first.

Here’s What You Need to Know as a Parent:

1. Post-Secondary Education (College-level)

🛑 Biggest Cut: -$225 million
 📌 What this means: Less money for community colleges and federal aid like Pell Grants.
 💔 If your child dreams of college, that dream just got harder to reach.

2. Teacher Training

🛑 Cut: -$145 million
 📌 What this means: Fewer trained teachers, less support for the ones already trying their best.
 💔 Would you want your child’s doctor to stop learning new things? Why should it be different for teachers?

3. Charter Schools

⚠️ Wild Swings: Huge Increase in 2024, then a Bigger Cut in 2025
 📌 What this means: No consistency. Some kids start programs that disappear next year.
 💔 Our kids deserve stability—not broken promises.

4. Reading & Literacy Programs

🛑 Cut: -$8 million
 📌 What this means: Less support for children learning to read.
 💔 How can our children succeed if they can’t read confidently?

5. Special Education & Preschool

✅ Good News: +$477 million in Special Ed and +$140 million in Preschool support
 📌 What this means: More help for children with disabilities and younger learners.
 💖 A win for early education and kids who need extra care.

But Wait… Why Are We Cutting Support for Teachers and Teens?

I ask this not as a policy expert, but as a dad. I tuck my kids in at night and wonder:

·   Will they be prepared for the world?

·   Will their school give them the skills, love, and safety they deserve?

It hurts knowing that while we give more to preschoolers, we’re taking away from college hopefuls. While we help students with disabilities (a great thing), we’re telling teachers: “Figure it out without training.”

That’s not just confusing. It’s dangerous.

Think About It, Parents/Caregivers:

 So What Can We Do?

1.     Ask Questions at Your School
 → “Will these funding cuts affect my child’s classroom?”

2.     Talk to Other Parents
 → We’re stronger when we speak together. One voice may be ignored—but hundreds? That’s power.

3.     Call Your Local Representatives
 → It’s their job to listen. Even a short call makes an impact.

4.     Vote with Your Kids in Mind
 → Look at who protects education—and who cuts it.

5.     Stay Informed
 → You don’t need a college degree to care. You only need to love your child.

Final Words from a Dad Like You

I may not work in government. But I know what matters:

·      The smile on my daughter’s face when her teacher praises her.

·      The relief on my son’s face when his special-ed counselor helps him.

·      The pride I feel when they grow, learn, and dream bigger.

We cannot afford to go silent now.

When funding disappears, it’s not “just money.”
 It’s the school library.
 It’s the after-school program that kept your teen out of trouble.
 It’s the teacher who believed in your child when nobody else did.

So let’s show our kids that when their future was being debated behind closed doors—we showed up. We spoke out.

Because that’s what public school parents do.