How The Sausage Is Made

By Matt Patton, CATA Executive Director

The budget adoption process in California is a comprehensive and multi-stage procedure that begins with the Governor's submission of a proposed budget to the State Legislature by January 10 each year. Subsequently, the Legislature conducts hearings and reviews the budget proposal, making adjustments and amendments as necessary through various committees. The Assembly and the Senate then hold floor votes to approve their respective budget versions. In case of any differences between the two versions, a conference committee is formed to reconcile discrepancies. Once an agreement is reached, the final budget bill is passed by both houses of the Legislature and sent to the Governor for approval. The Governor has the authority to sign the budget, veto specific items, or veto the entire budget. If the Governor vetoes parts of the budget, the Legislature can override these vetoes with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. Once signed, the budget becomes law and guides the state's spending for the fiscal year, beginning on July 1.

CATA closely monitors several bills that could significantly influence agricultural education. This ensures that stakeholders stay well-informed about potential changes in the education landscape:

• AB 1871 (Alanis) – If passed, this bill would amend the existing course of study in California, mandating instruction of personal financial literacy in Social Science and CTE classes. 

• AB 1927 (Alanis) – This bill would expand the Golden State Teacher Grant Program to include grants to students in professional preparation programs who commit to work for four years as a credentialed career technical education instructor at a priority school. Qualifying students could receive $10,000 to $20,000 in grants. 

• AB 2097 (Berman) – If passed, this bill would mandate that school districts offer computer science education courses to students in grades 9 to 12. It would also modify high school graduation requirements to include completing a computer science course starting from the 2030-31 school year. 

• AB 3131 (McCarty) – This bill aims to prioritize historically redlined communities in the allocation of CTEIG and Strong Workforce application

• AB 3053 (Kalra) – This would allow junior exhibitors to withdraw animals from junior livestock auctions at any time and negate terminal sales.

• AB 3216 (Hoover) – This bill would authorize districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to limit cell phone use on campuses.

• Go Ag Act (Delgado) – If passed, this federal bill will amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to include a $5 million grant program to help high schools cover the costs associated with establishing new agricultural education programs. 

As we navigate the legislative landscape impacting agricultural education, it's clear that understanding "how the sausage is made" is crucial in advocating for the needs of our community and ensuring a robust future for agricultural education.

California Teacher Honored As Ag Educator of the Year

After recognizing six exceptional California teachers as finalists through the Golden Owl Award, the California FFA Foundation, in partnership with Nationwide and the California Farm Bureau, selected Rick Neugebauer, agricultural teacher at Fall River Junior Senior High School, as California’s 2023-2024 “Ag Educator of the Year.”

Spread the Word! The California FFA Foundation is Hiring!

State FFA Leadership Conference: Reflections From An Ag Teacher

By Heather Varallo, Sonora High School

State conference is a mixed bag of emotions. As teachers we both love and dread it sometimes but after every conference, I am left with this sense of purpose again. We regain our passion, and it drives us to do better, to teach better, and to lead better. And we do this selflessly, without question, because this is just who we are. In the months approaching the trip, we are burnt out, the students are burnt out, and we start counting the days until summer break. This conference is a much-needed opportunity for us to ground ourselves and regain the path to our true North again. Reflecting on this trip leads me to want to thank the supporting pillars of this foundation, the people sacrificing their sanity to commit to this conference to make it happen every single year.

I am a teacher who recently entered this profession but recognize the profound effect that this conference has on students, teachers, and our community. On these trips, we are blessed with a golden opportunity to cultivate relationships with our students, watch them as they become engulfed in FFA leadership, smile as they laugh and meet new friends, and witness their desire to share this experience with their own chapters.

The conference officially begins on Monday, June 24, 2024, with pre-conference activity beginning on Sunday, June 23, 2024. Conference registration MUST be submitted online.

Visit the conference website for additional information about professional development sessions, continuing education units, AgriSkills sessions, hotel information, and more.

Thank You Corporate Members!

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

In Your Corner

By John Williams, CATA State President

This year has become one of the best years of my career. I have enjoyed having the opportunity to serve members of the CATA tremendously. I have had a lot of time to reflect upon the things that have happened in the past 4 years and have observed many good and bad behaviors of our profession. One thing is certain: when faced with adversity, our organization will step up and overcome. There are some unsung heroes that we tend to overlook when things are going well. This article will hopefully give us all an idea of what each member of our organization does.

First and foremost are the over 1,000 middle school, junior high, high school, community college, and university members of our organization. I give praise to each of you, and I value your work towards making agricultural education great. Is the career you chose easy? Far from it. In my experience, it is both one of the most rewarding careers and, at the same time, one of the most stressful careers. Finding a life balance is hard for everyone, but keep at it, and in time you will figure out what works for you. I encourage the younger generation to reach out to the “elders” for insight. They have been at it for a while and have a wealth of knowledge. I encourage our seasoned teachers (elders) to reach out to the younger generation and instill in them the value of our careers and what we can do as educators to make an impact on students.

Attention FFA Advisors: Last Chance for Free Blue Jackets!

Are you an FFA advisor with dedicated members in need of a blue jacket for upcoming events like State Finals, County Fair, or future officer roles? Here's your opportunity! In a final push before the end of the school year, we're offering additional FFA jackets at no cost to your chapter.

There's no limit to the number of jackets you can request—our goal is to ensure every FFA member has the opportunity to proudly wear the blue jacket. Complete the Jotform and let's get those jackets into the hands of deserving FFA members! If you have any questions, please contact Heather Casjens at hcasjens@californiaffa.org.

Scholarships Available for Sheep Breeders

If you have graduating seniors engaged in a sheep breeding Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), they are eligible to apply for scholarship funding through the California Suffolk and Hampshire Sheep Breeders Association (CSHSBA) Scholarship Program. Preference is given to those who have raised Suffolk and/or Hampshire sheep, although all students involved in the sheep industry will be considered. Applicants must either be members or part of a family membership of CSHSBA.

This scholarship program honors the contributions of Fred and Marion Coble to the sheep industry in California and across the United States. Application packets must be postmarked by May 15, 2024.

Demystifying Disability: A Look at Disabilities Language and How to Maneuver Within the FFA Space

By Carlos Lopez, National FFA Organization

April is Autism Awareness Month. This opens us to a greater conversation about students with disabilities and how we can assist in providing an avenue of success for those FFA members. 

It's important to recognize that people with disabilities constitute a significant portion of the national population, yet there remains a lack of understanding and awareness about how to support and be allies to the disability community. Within organizations like FFA, where members of the disability community are actively participating and thriving, there is an opportunity to further address and remove barriers to their full inclusion. 

Acknowledging the diversity within the disability community and understanding that each individual's experiences and needs may vary is a crucial first step. By actively listening to the voices of our members with disabilities, their caretakers, and advisors; and incorporating their perspectives into program development and decision-making processes, we can better identify and address existing barriers. 

Creating an inclusive environment involves not only removing physical barriers but also addressing attitudinal and systemic barriers that may hinder participation and inclusion. Identifying barriers and developing ways to eliminate them can help both disabled and nondisabled individuals better understand how to support and advocate for inclusivity within our programs.

Win $50K or $100K with Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Program

Do you teach high school students and use tools regularly to build, repair, and maintain? You may be eligible for Harbor Freight’s Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence Award Program. The program awards skilled trades teachers for their passion, creativity, and leadership. This year, the program will award 15 prize winners $50,000 each and five grand prize winners $100,000 each. Don’t delay—applications are due May 3, 2024. Visit http://hftforschoolsprize.org for more information.

Lead a Professional Development Workshop at the NAAE Convention

Get ready to showcase your expertise at the 2024 NAAE Convention in San Antonio, Texas, happening December 4-6, 2024. NAAE is now accepting proposals for professional development workshops tailored for middle and secondary agricultural educators, teacher educators, and post-secondary agricultural educators.

Dive into classroom instruction techniques, technology integration, academic alignment, exceptional instructional materials, research application, and more. Workshops can be either 30 minutes (Snap Learning Spot) or 75 minutes (Idea Learning Lab), with the possibility of repetition. Proposals are due by Monday, June 3rd. Submit your proposal and join us in shaping the future of agricultural education.

Click here to submit a 2024 NAAE Convention Workshop Proposal.

NEW! Public Speaking LDEs Classroom Resource: Build confidence and public speaking skills in your students with this new lesson series that covers the basics of public speaking, constructing a speech and practice speaking activities. This series is a great way to introduce your students to Creed Speaking, Prepared Public Speaking, and Extemporaneous Public Speaking.

96th National FFA Post-Convention Survey Results: Dive into the details of the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo and learn more about the event as you prepare to attend in the future! Check out this summary report as a helpful tool to promote the National FFA Convention to fellow teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders who are interested in the convention.

Travel Assistance Grants Now Available! These grant funds are available to help with travel expenses for Next Gen Conferences, the Washington Leadership Conference and the State Officer Summit. Find the applications and further information here!