Capitalize On What Comes

Businessman and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar has said, "Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes."  When a friend posted this on Facebook recently it lingered in my mind. 

Currently the state of the California economy and the ongoing education budget cuts, threats of mid year cuts, cash flow deferrals and budget promises based on mid year tax approvals has dented and bruised the positive outlook of many educators. While we continue to expect the best, in each budget cycle we must plan for two to three possible scenarios and act on the most conservative in order to be prepared for 'the worst'. 

Meanwhile our stakeholders - support staff, teachers, administrators, students, parents, community partners - are unclear as to why we can't provide for ongoing programs as well as new and creative ideas to serve our students. The message that these stakeholders here is only that the governor supports education and wants to hold us harmless. Often stakeholders aren't informed about the cost schools must incur to borrow money because the state continues to defer our revenue. Sometimes stakeholders only hear about generalities and not such specifics as that all transportation funds were cut in the middle of this school year unexpectedly and without prior planning ability - with the prospect of zero transportation funding for the following school years.

In education, we have continued to manage over the last years to keep making do with less and finding a way - because our children deserve the best that we have to give, regardless of circumstance.

My thoughts and I welcome yours as well - is that it is critical that educators and stakeholders communicate with Governor Brown and with their legislative representatives that education can no longer continue to take an unequal share of the state budget cuts - can no longer afford to be the borrowing agencies for the cash issues of the state - can no longer be dealt with mid year surprises and that if education is the priority that the governor and others communicate it is ... then we cannot continue to be in the bottom  states for per pupil spending. [Note: depending on the source California ranks somewhere between 35th and 47th. http://californiabudgetbites.org/2011/01/31/california-school-spending-winning-the-race-to-the-bottom/]