California's funding for school sports, music and the arts is in serious trouble. Possibly at greater risk than in any other state.
California Sportzine Strategy
The state's financial condition has been serious for years and governors, legislators and voters have refused to deal with it. There is no encouraging news with the newest administration in Sacramento.
Add the December agreement between the ACLU and the state dealing with pay-to-learn and pay-to-play fees and there is a new sense of urgency in finding funding solutions for California school extra-curricular activities.
California has over 1,200 high schools and we are looking to establish 15 California Sportzines with 50 to over 120 high schools each. Sportzines will share sports information and allow visitors to move between Sportzines seamlesly.
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California School Sports News
CA: Sacremento, "Really awful" cuts proposed for SCUSD
Support for programs including sports, yearbook and band may be cut.
28-Jan-2012, KCRA TV
CA: Santa Maria, Bands feel the budget blues
Funding for tournament expenses is largely dependent on fundraising. Discretionary funding for the program has decreased.
22-Dec-2011, SantaMariaTimes.com
CA: Livermore, Uncertain future for HS athletics
The District has steadily reduced the amount of funding for high school athletics over the last few years. Last spring, all funding for high school athletics was eliminated.
26-Nov-2011, IndependentNews.com
CA: Livermore, Tap running dry for sports
The Livermore school board does not want after-school sports to end, but it is not sure where the money is going to come from to keep them going.
18-Nov-2011, San Jose Mercury News
CA: Lodi, District considers advertising in schools
If the contract doesn’t generate at least $100,000 in revenue in its first year, it would be terminated.
16-Nov-2011, LodiNews.com
CA: Auburn, Community facing school fundraising fatigue?
Students, parents, local businesses all feel the never-ending pressure to fundraise.
23-Oct-2011, Auburn Journal
CA: Woodland: No athletic directors... Volunteer coaches
When the Sac-Joaquin Section fall season began Monday, both Woodland and Pioneer fielded all-volunteer coaching staffs with no athletic directors.
10-Aug-2011, Woodland Daily Democrat
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ACLU: Pay-to-Play and Most Fees Illegal
In December, the game changed for California schools when an agreement between the ACLU and the state eliminated all fees for curricular and extra-curricular activities.
The impact is immediate and requires reimbursement of fees already charged.
Read more...
Impact of ACLU Agreement
School districts have been supplementing their budgets with student fees and slashing money from extra-curricular activities. These cuts to sports, music and the arts forced the introduction of "activity fees" and "pay-to-play" fees.
Now, with the elimination of student fees on the class side, the extra-curricular side will be cut even deeper.
With the deeper cuts from the district budgets and the loss of activity and pay-to-play fees, there is no way for sports, music and arts programs to make up the double loss.
California parents and local businesses need to join together to develop long term, high value fundraising programs that can fill the funding void.
Sportzines can be a significant part of the solution. It will take great ideas and the best people. Consider becoming a Sportzine Publisher.
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California Sportzine Markets
1. North Coast
2. Shasta
3. North Bay
4. East Bay
5. SF/South Bay
6. Capitol
7. Stockton
8. Bakersfield
9. Central Coast
10. LA North
11. LA Central
12. LA East
13. Inland Empire
14. Orange County
15. San Diego
It's time to Change the Game
Athletes, parents, teams and booster clubs are going to be left to their own resources to pick up the funding challenge. But they don't have the organizational maturity, volunteer base, technology or marketing tools to go from raising $1,000 a year to $25,000 or even more.
No single idea or company can "save" school sports, music and the arts. But any company that can make even a 20% difference will be welcomed with open arms.
In California, the rules of the game have changed and they aren't working. It is the fourth quarter and the clock is running.
Sportzine Publishers can be key players in the new game making the most of a bad situation and offering solutions that work. Find out more today.
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