Sacramento Scene: Education Funding and Legislative Tracking

By Matt Patton, CATA Executive Director

Despite a significant deficit in the overall budget, TK-12 and community colleges will avoid major cuts in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Other state operations will shoulder those cuts. The budget passed in June stayed true to Newsom’s commitment to maintaining funding in Proposition 98, which makes up the funding transitional kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, and community college. The finalized budget even included a couple of billion dollars of additional revenue not included in Newsom’s proposed budget that came out in January (Fensterwald, 2024). 

The Legislative branch and the Governor extracted an additional $28 billion from general funding to balance the budget. To achieve this, they incurred a $6 billion debt that won’t be fully repaid to the state treasury for a dozen years, draining $8.4 billion from the education rainy day fund. The plan also delays payments to school districts and community colleges (Fensterwald, 2024). 

In the 2024-25 budget deal, the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) systems will receive a 5% budget increase, totaling $227.8 million for UC and $240.2 million for CSU, to support enrollment growth of California residents. However, the systems will face a one-year delay for an additional 5% budget increase initially planned for 2025-26, and they will encounter one-time cuts of $125 million for UC and $75 million for CSU in 2024-25, which will be restored in 2025-26. Additionally, CSU and UC will experience a 7.95% reduction in administrative expenses for the 2025-26 fiscal year (Fensterwald, 2024).

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed…

By Amanda Ferguson, Kingsburg High School

I vividly remember, as a student teacher, collecting as many classroom resources as I possibly could. Folders, binders, labs, worksheets—whatever I could get my hands on. The subject didn’t matter because I didn’t know what the future would hold. Given that this was 2011, and Google Drive for curriculum sharing had not yet become a thing, you can bet these proudly collected resources were housed on a 500GB external hard drive. We would sit in our student teaching cohort and swap and trade as much as we could using flash drives, CDs, and email as a vessel. We spent countless hours digging through files and folders exploring what had been graciously shared in our direction.

Fast forward a few years, and I began building my classes in Google Drive. Folders were easier to navigate, devices didn’t make a difference, and you could access files anywhere. But even then, the sharing of entire folders of curriculum through Drive hadn’t quite emerged. We would simply share files, labs, or activities that piqued our interest through conversation but also talked through the file with the sharer. We built relationships off of sharing what we had and asking for what we needed. We had conversations at conferences that led us to say, “My kids would love that, can you send it to me?” I could quickly rattle off teachers who were excelling in certain subjects and knew I had a bank of support to pull from if I ever needed help or fresh ideas.

COVID absolutely shifted curriculum sharing. As soon as learning went digital, teachers graciously offered up entire folders of what they were working on to make it possible and survivable for others. We saved each other. We asked for help and offered what we could to make it through. But it wasn’t just curriculum sharing. Teachers hosted Zooms and other online meetups to walk other teachers through it. It wasn’t just a folder of resources, a Google slideshow, a digital notebook, or a choice board assignment; there was help and support that came along with it. This made our Ag family extremely unique compared to other subject areas. We truly rallied behind each other with the goal of continuing to build up our students and our programs.

Two California Teachers Selected As Teacher Ambassadors

Celebrate Your State Through #SpeakAg Showcase

As the new school year begins, let's kick off with a fun and engaging chapter activity: the #SpeakAg Showcase! This program allows FFA members to share their state’s unique agricultural story with a broader audience.

What to Do:

1. Create Your Video: Work together as a chapter to create a compelling video that tells the story of agriculture in your state. Highlight the crops, animals, practices, and traditions that make your state’s agriculture special.
2. Submit Your Video: Click here for more information on the program and how to submit your video. The submission deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 25, so start planning and filming your story now!

Why Participate?

• Showcase Your Story: Chapters who submit videos will have the opportunity to present their story on the Student Showcase Stage at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo.
• Gain Recognition: Winners will be announced during the convention, giving your chapter a chance to shine on a national stage.

Let’s come together to celebrate our state’s rich agricultural heritage and make our voices heard through the #SpeakAg Showcase. Get creative, have fun, and start telling your story today!

Apply for Chapter Funding From Smithfield

Smithfield works every day to produce good food, the right way, with respect for its people, animals, community, and planet. As part of that mission, Smithfield is providing FFA chapters with funds to increase diversity, culture, and engagement, break down financial barriers by providing chapter operations funds, and support community service projects that focus on food insecurity.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and funds will be distributed quarterly. This ongoing support aims to empower FFA chapters to create inclusive environments, ensure smooth operations, and make a positive impact in their communities.

Apply now to take advantage of this opportunity and make a meaningful difference in your chapter and beyond.

Thank You Corporate Members!

The California Ag Teachers' Association appreciates the commitment of our corporate members who support agricultural education.

Outstanding Educators and Programs Recognized at the 2024 CATA Summer Conference

Agricultural educators from across the state recently came together in San Luis Obispo for the California Agricultural Teachers’ Association (CATA) Summer Conference. This event offers a chance to learn new skills, collaborate, participate in business sessions, and have a great time. We proudly congratulate those recognized for their hard work and dedication to their schools, students, and the agricultural education profession! Listed below are some of the teachers recognized at the CATA annual conference for their achievements. 

CATA Hall of Fame Inductees: Joe Digrazia, Steve Olson, Jeanette Lowe, Ralph Mendes, John Scheuber, Dr. Robert Flores, Cindy Rhode, Laurie Goss

Educators

• Outstanding Teacher: Kristin Sheehan, Madera South High School
• Outstanding Teacher Mentor: Jerry Delsol, Woodland High School
• Outstanding Young Teacher: Dominique DeMoss, Modoc High School
• Pathway Teacher of the Year (Ag Business): Amber Carter, Highland High School
• Pathway Teacher of the Year (Plant & Soil Science): Amanda Boyer, Visalia-VTEC
• Pathway Teacher of the Year (Ornamental Horticulture): Britta Fletcher, Ponderosa High School
• Pathway Teacher of the Year (Agriscience): Kevy Mendes, Exeter High School
• Pathway Teacher of the Year (Animal Science): David Lopes, Reedley College
• Pathway Teacher of the Year (Ag Mechanics): Dusty Dyer, Pierce High School
• Teacher of Excellence: Aimee Veldhuizen (El Diamante HS), Clarissa Farinelli (Central Valley HS), Gabriel Ponce (Pioneer Valley HS), Heidi Mickelson (Analy HS), Jared Castle (Tulare HS), Shelby Fishman (Atwater HS), Jessi Cardoso (Central Valley HS), June Bettencourt (Central HS), Kelley Case-Brackett (Willets HS), Kim Mesa (Atwater HS)

Programs

• Outstanding 2-3 Person Program: Kingsburg High School
• Outstanding Large 4-6 Program: King City High School
• Outstanding 7 Plus Person Program: Atwater High School
• Outstanding 1-3 Person Post Secondary Program: CSU Fresno Ag Mech
• Outstanding Large Post-Secondary Program & State Winner: Merced College
• Outstanding Single Person Program & Overall State Winner: Surprise Valley High School

Congratulations to all the awardees for their dedication and excellence in agricultural education! Your commitment inspires the next generation of leaders in agriculture.

New Development Officer Joins CA FFA Foundation Staff

The California FFA Foundation is pleased to announce that Grace Miller has joined as the new Development Officer. A recent graduate of CSU Fresno with a degree in agricultural education and communication, Miller brings valuable experience from her time with the Ag One Foundation, a nonprofit benefitting, promoting, and supporting the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

In this role, Miller will drive fund development efforts and collaborate with key stakeholders to enhance the impact on over 104,000 FFA members. Her background in FFA and livestock management, including her recent role as livestock superintendent at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds, aligns perfectly with the foundation's mission. 

Please join us in welcoming Grace to the FFA family! 

Don’t Miss the 2024 California Agriculture in the Classroom Conference

Mark your calendars for September 27-29, 2024, and get ready to explore innovative ways to integrate agriculture into your curriculum at the 37th Annual Ag in the Classroom Conference in Costa Mesa. This inspiring event will be held at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa and is designed to provide educators with practical tools and creative ideas to enhance their teaching.

• Hands-On Workshops: Gain practical strategies to incorporate agriculture into your lessons.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow educators and industry experts.
• Cutting-Edge Resources: Discover new educational materials and resources.

Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to enrich your teaching and engage your students with the world of agriculture.

Thinking Small for Big Results: Engaging Non-Traditional Agriculture Students in the Three Circle Model

By McKinley Gonzales, Published in The Agricultural Education Magazine

An agricultural education program is defined by the community around it. The Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center (AAEC) Paradise Valley Campus is in north Phoenix, Arizona, making it a true urban agricultural education program. Local agriculture consists of plant nurseries, veterinarian clinics, feed and equipment stores, companion animals, and the equine industry. The student population varies widely, but the one thing they have in common is that most of them have little to no connection to traditional agriculture. Most AAEC Paradise Valley students, who have a connection to agriculture, have goals of becoming a veterinarian or working in the equine industry. A variety of agricultural courses are offered to fit into curriculum tracks to meet those needs. As freshmen, all students are required to take Agriscience as their science course and choose between four different four-year programs. Those programs are Equine Science, Veterinary Science, Dog Training, or Agribusiness. This system prepares students for real-world careers or allows them to explore options they may not have been exposed to otherwise. Even though these programs are successful, not every student knows what they want to do after graduation or wants to be employed directly by the agriculture industry. The Agribusiness track is built with those students in mind. Starting with Agriscience, all students are introduced to agricultural education and a wide range of agricultural topics. The subsequent elective courses in the sequence are designed to allow students to explore areas that may interest them. Following one or more of these courses is Agribusiness.

National FFA News and Updates

Compiled by Cara Parlato and Audrey Lent, National FFA Teacher Ambassadors

Motivation and Active Engagement in FFA

In a 2023 survey, one in three FFA advisors identified a lack of student motivation as their biggest challenge. Discover more about the perceived motivation levels of FFA members and advisors, including detailed survey results on motivation and active engagement, in this new one-pager.

Read the full report here: Survey Results on FFA Motivation and Engagement.