VICA s Education and State Issues Committees support Proposition 20, the Cardenas Textbook Act. Proposition 20 is a legislative initiative that would allocate half of any growth of lottery revenues for textbooks and instructional materials. Supporters argue that the schools need a continuous funding stream for textbooks.
Opponents argue that the proposition reduces local control.
When voters approved the Lottery in 1984, the California Department of Education strongly recommended that districts use lottery funds for one-time costs such as textbooks, computers and field trips. The Department discouraged the funding of ongoing costs because of fluctuating lottery revenues. However, districts continually spend Lottery funds for ongoing costs, ie administrative costs. Proposition 20 would create a new continuous funding mechanism for instructional materials, including textbooks. Proposition 20 would not affect the total amount of lottery revenues going to public education.