RE: Question 1: Funding Model

Mr. Diamond:

I know that all of our children are not adequately being educated with the approximately $7,000 the state spends per pupil.  I don't know if we could educate them adequately because I don't know how much an adequate education should cost in California.  As I said earlier, however, I suspect we are not adequately funding education right now.

With respect to Prop 13, the state contribution has obviously increased since then, even accounting for inflation, and that's largely due to Prop 13 itself.  With restrictions on local property taxes, the state had to step in.  In addition, since 1978 we have seen an explosion in special education costs that have made an adequate education for all students dramatically more expensive.