Written by
The Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, CA (AP) - Millions of parents and schoolchildren are facing a direct hit from California's latest financial crisis -- the prospect of fewer school days.
California schools face up to $1.4 billion in immediate cuts after a budget analysis this week projected that tax revenue will come in lower than Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers had hoped.
The automatic cuts built into the state budget mean school districts will have the option of slicing another seven days off the minimum 175-day school year, which already is five days shorter than before the recession began.
Thirteen of the state's 30 largest school districts already have shortened their school years below the previous minimum of 180 days, which is the national average. That would make California's school year among the shortest in the nation.
The Associated Press