L.A. Area Chamber Sees Big Wins in Education Budget Items

by L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce applauds Gov. Jerry Brown and the State legislature for their $183 billion state budget agreement. This prudent budget includes major wins for the Chamber's education priorities that prepare California's 21st century workforce.

“We commend Gov. Brown for a budget that recognizes the importance of the cradle-to-career approach in education,” stated David Rattray, executive vice president of the Chamber’s Center for Education Excellence and Talent Development. “When it comes to ensuring the Chamber and its partners develop students who are workforce ready, it is essential preparation begins at the start of their life and continues through their entire school career. This budget supports that.”

Fiscal year 2017-18 budget successfully helps L.A.’s working families, allowing them to continue to be part of today’s workforce. This includes ensuring foster families have access to child care support, a Chamber priority, and it reaffirms last year’s multi-year funding commitments to expand child care opportunities and address reimbursement rates. Additionally, the Chamber is pleased to see the eligibility expansion of state subsidized child care programs to address the unintended consequences to the minimum wage increase.

“In addition, the Chamber appreciates the work of the Governor, legislative leaders and all the parties involved with securing critically important emergency funding for foster care. The Chamber sponsored this important legislative measure, Assembly Bill 1164 (Thurmond), and is thrilled those policy efforts were important enough to be considered during the final budget negotiations,” Rattray added.

The budget also encompasses $150 million, one-time funding for the development of Guided Pathways in California Community Colleges, $20 million for the Chancellor's Higher Education Innovation Awards Program and maintains the current Cal Grant award amount for students attending private nonprofit colleges and universities for the 2017-2018 school year, bolstering the state's commitment to college access and success.

Rattray concluded, “The Chamber works to protect the L.A. region’s most vulnerable youth. This budget helps us continue those commitments, and we look forward to continuing our work with our member businesses and partners to meet the needs of our future talent.”

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The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of business in L.A. County. Founded in 1888, the Chamber promotes a prosperous economy and quality of life in the Los Angeles region. For more information, visit www.lachamber.com.