California school district considers funding to improve instruction

As states' individual implementation deadlines for the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) approach, many school systems are going to need a lot more money to provide students with the education they deserve. This is certainly the case with California's Lucia Mar Unified School District, where the District's school board recently considered a request for $470,000 in additional funding, the Santa Maria Times reported.

While this would be a significant financial investment in the instruction Lucia Mar provides, District officials believe it is necessary.

"While the District will need to continue our careful budget analysis, it is time to take some initial steps to implement programs and staffing that will help our students to become more prepared with the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century," Jim Hogeboom, Lucia Mar's superintendent, told the news source.

If the school board decides to make this large investment, the money would go toward technological updates, new educational programs and professional development related to the CCSS.

Whether or not the District chooses to make this investment, it is clear the transition to the CCSS will cost California a lot of money. According to a 2012 report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, it will cost California more than any other state to implement the Standards.