TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The Kern County Board of Education could be the latest to support an effort to force the governor and Legislature to develop a better system for funding struggling public schools here.

On Tuesday, the board, which oversees the Superintendent of Schools office, will consider backing a lawsuit against the state that asks the court to declare the current school finance system unconstitutional because, it says, the state doesn't provide enough to cover educational mandates and programs.

The board of education would be the first local school agency to back the lawsuit that nearly 100 other districts across the state have. School officials are comfortable speaking for all area school systems with the resolution.

"This shows the frustration that schools have with the inadequacy of funding," said Superintendent of Schools Christine Frazier. "The way we're funded leaves so much in the air at a time when we are having so much difficulty."

If the resolution is approved, KCSOS will be showing its support but not joining in on the suit.

That fight will be left to a coalition of students, school districts and education groups including California State PTA and California School Board Association. The lawsuit -- Robles-Wong, et al. vs. State of California -- was filed in May in Alameda by more than 60 students, nine school districts and other groups. Maya Robles-Wong is an 11th grade student in Alameda.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opposes the lawsuit.

The resolution that board members will vote on declares that "California's unsound, unstable and insufficient school finance system is neither aligned with required education programs or with student needs."

Other local school leaders said they support the lawsuit but are not sure if districts would pass resolutions like KCSOS. Dennis Franey, business head at Greenfield Union School District, said the county office is an "advocate for all area schools."

Local school leaders say districts are grappling with some of the worst budget cuts in years. Greenfield, for example, has cut more than $3 million to meet state budget demands for next school year. That includes 27 teacher positions, two administrative jobs and other cuts.

"It's unfortunate that California's governor and legislators want us to look, drive, ride and operate like a Cadillac but only fund us for a Yugo," Franey said in an e-mail.

California ranks near the bottom nationally in academic achievement, teacher-student ratios and per-pupil spending when adjusted for regional cost differences, the plaintiffs argue. They also say the state has cut billions of dollars in funding to K-12 schools over the past two years, leading to layoffs, larger class sizes and other cuts.

Brittany McKannay, spokeswoman for the California School Boards Association, said the groups are happy to see such support from schools across the state. Lawsuit officials are now waiting for the governor's office to respond. That's expected by July 20, McKannay said.

The Kern County Board of Education meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 1300 17th St.