Just over a year after Gov. Jerry Brown gave schools more money in exchange for their commitment to spend more on the neediest students and involve parents in setting priorities, some schools have made dramatic changes in line with his intentions, while others have dipped into the larger pool of funds to pay for pet projects.
Schools have added translators and other help for parents, tutoring and alternatives to discipline, a sampling of Bay Area schools shows — but many also are investing in buildings, trying to divert funds to teacher salaries and ignoring their poorest students.
Instead of giving schools pots of money for dozens of specific programs, such as gifted students, music or teacher mentoring, the state is distributing a cauldron of funds — totaling about $53 billion — for schools to spend where they see fit, as long they seek parent input. The state designates almost one-sixth of the funds for high-needs students: English learners, kids from low-income families and foster children. Schools also are supposed to set measurable targets for goals, such as improving literacy or graduation rates.
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