CFT members from across the state were in Sacramento last week to formally launch AB 477 (Muratsuchi), a bill that would make transformational investments in school funding at a time when low wages are driving teachers and school staff out of the profession we love, and as attacks and threats from the Trump administration on public education are making our work even more difficult. 

AB 477 seeks to raise LCFF funding for K-12 schools by 50% over the next ten years, with the intent to raise wages for school staff. The bill is similar in scope to AB 938, a bill sponsored by CFT last legislative session which ultimately, despite broad bipartisan support, was amended to remove the funding mandate and focus on salary data collection.

According to CFT President Jeff Freitas, CFT is bringing the bill back this year because the stakes are even higher than before.

“At a time when the Trump administration is threatening billions of dollars in federal funding for public schools in California, AB 477 represents a commitment by our state that we will be there for our students and for those who serve them every day in our schools,” said Freitas.

That sentiment was echoed by the bill’s author, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance).

“The Trump administration is attacking public education and defunding our schools. California must fight back to defend our students, educators, and schools,” said Muratsuchi. “California is the world’s fifth largest economy. We need to invest in our students and our educators to support student success and grow a globally competitive workforce. Our teachers and essential school staff have been underpaid for far too long. It’s time for California to start paying its educators a fair wage.”

The AB 477 announcement was part of a broader day of legislative advocacy last week at the Capitol. CFT members from throughout the state met with our state’s elected leaders to discuss issues critical to our members and our students, including special education staffing reform, paid maternity leave, protections on contracting out classified work in schools, and establishing due process protections for part-time faculty.