Carl DeMaio is out with a new education plan that’s already under fire, but what he’s hiding from California voter voters is even more disturbing. DeMaio supports proposals that increase class sizes, hurt teachers, and make it harder for middle class families to pay for college.
“Once again, Carl DeMaio concocted a smokescreen, masking a dangerous Tea Party agenda that would put a quality education out of reach for too many San Diego families,” said Tyrone Gayle of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Instead of fighting to make college more affordable and provide opportunities for students and teachers, Carl DeMaio would put his dangerous education plan first and leave the kids behind.”
BACKGROUND:
On Elementary School
DeMaio Proposed Increasing School Class Sizes for Kindergarten to 3rd Grade. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed increasing school class sizes for Kindergarten to 3rd Grade at a savings of $219,000,000. Specifically, he proposed changing the student-teacher ratio to from 20 students to 1 teacher to “22 to 1 for schools with less than 50 percent free and reduced-priced lunch eligible.” [2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p128]
DeMaio Proposed Ending Elementary School Intensive Reading Program. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed cutting $26,900,000 from the Elementary School Intensive Reading Program. DeMaio said the services were “duplicative of those provided through the existing supplemental instruction programs.”[2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p128]
On High School
DeMaio Proposed Ending Summer School Program for High-Achieving Math and Science Students. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed cutting $1,600,000 from a California State Summer School Math and Science program that served “high-achieving high school students.” [2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p133; COSMOS UC Davis, accessed 6/17/14]
DeMaio Proposed Ending $97 Million Ninth Grade Class Size Reduction Initiative. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed cutting $97,000,000 from the ninth grade class size reduction program, effectively eliminating those efforts. DeMaio claimed that “[s]chools with [the] greatest need [would be] less likely to use the program because of lack of qualified teachers.” [2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p128]
On Teachers
DeMaio Proposed Ending Grant Program for Aspiring Teachers. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed cutting $3,000,000 from the Cal Grant T Program, which encouraged post-baccalaureate students to pursue their initial teaching credential by providing tuition and fee assistance for up to one academic year if they worked in a low-performing school. DeMaio said that the program was duplicative of another financial aid program that similarly encouraged teachers to become fully credentialed. [2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p133; Cal State Monterey Bay website, accessed 6/17/14]
DeMaio Proposed Eliminating Teacher Recruitment Centers. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed cutting $8,300,000 from Teacher Recruitment Centers, effectively eliminating the centers indefinitely. DeMaio justified the cut by stating that “[v]arious other entities recruit and assist aspiring teachers.” [2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p128]
On College Affordability
DeMaio Supported Eliminating Perkins Loan Program, Called it “Redundant, Duplicative and Ineffective.” In 2006, DeMaio wrote an op-ed for the Washington Times calling Perkins loans “redundant, duplicative and ineffective” because need-based loans were also available through larger loan programs like the Federal Family Education Loans and the Ford Direct Student Loans program. Perkins Loans are need-based federal loans provided at low interest rates. DeMaio then agreed with a 2003 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) analysis that recommended that Perkins Loans be eliminated and funding instead diverted to the Pell Grant program. “These other outlets provide nearly $80 billion in annual aid directly to families, while Perkins Loans provide only $1 billion and routes it awkwardly through third parties,” DeMaio said. [Washington Times, DeMaio Op-Ed, 4/27/06]
DeMaio Proposed Eliminating Over $51 Million in Financial Aid for Cal State Students. In 2003, as part of his Citizens’ Budget plan for California, DeMaio proposed cutting $51,100,000 in student financial aid grants for California State University Students, including $33,785,000 for State University grants and $17,362,000 for grants pursuant to the California State University Educational Opportunity Program. [2003-2005 Citizens’ Budget, p121; 2003-2004 Enacted Budget Summary, p500]
2012-2013: Over 100,000 Cal State Students Received Institutional Need-Based Financial Aid at an Average of $4,490 Per Student. During the 2012-2013 school year, 119,823 California State University Students Received institutional need-based gift aid at an average of $4,490 per student. [California State University report, “The CSU Institutional Aid Program Report,” 3/27/14]
Called the House Republican Budget a “Decent Start” and Said it Contained Some “Good Ideas.” In 2013, DeMaio praised Paul Ryan’s budget plan, calling it a “decent start” that contained good ideas. “People have said what do you think about Paul Ryan’s budget…“It’s a decent start. There are some good ideas in it. I want people to talk about the DeMaio budget in a year or two.” [Temple Adat Shalom Men’s Club, 9/15/13]
Ryan Budget Freezes Pell Grant Funding for 10 Years, Ignoring Inflation and Rising Tuition Costs. According to an analysis of the Ryan budget conducted by Campus Progress: “Under the House Republican Budget, Pell Grants would be capped at the current level of $5,645 for 10 years, and eliminate all mandatory funding. In other words, under Ryan’s plan, Pell Grants would not keep up with the pace of inflation and rising tuition costs, and would be worth less each successive year.” [Campus Progress, 3/12/13]
Ryan Budget Would Adjust the Pell Grant’s Needs Analysis Formula “Making Fewer Students Eligible.” According to an analysis of the Ryan budget conducted by Insider Higher Ed: “The budget also calls for reversing changes to the grant’s needs analysis formula put into place in 2007, which expanded the number of students eligible for Pell Grants, in essence making fewer students eligible to receive them. It also revisits proposals put forward last year: using “fair value” accounting for student loans, which makes the program seem much less profitable for the federal government than it does under current accounting rules.” [Inside Higher Ed, 3/13/13]