Local parents, grandparents and teachers met this weekend at the PTA Forum inside Glendale’s Pacific Park Community Center auditorium to discuss recent budget cuts in the California education system,  and to seek solutions to the problems the cuts have caused.

“The reason why we brought everyone together is because PTA feels very strongly that if we don’t work together we probably won’t achieve what we need,” Glendale PTA parent Jaimi Zwerling said of the Five Star Coalition of PTAs: Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada, Pasadena and South Pasadena.

“Hopefully, maybe, we won’t be here in the next year or five years,” Zwerling said. 

Two speakers who specialize in education legislation and advocacy joined representatives from the coalition.

Education expert Mary Perry works with nonprofit organizations that advocate for public education. As Deputy Director of EdSource, Perry specializes in school finance.

Perry’s speech was surprising, said Altadena resident Cushon Bell who has two sons enrolled in Pasadena schools and a third son who will enter a classroom next fall.

“In general, the electorate, who will be voting in June, is conflicted and in a lot of cases they are not educated in what they’re voting on and how it effects children in the classroom,” Bell said.  

She said she now feels compelled to educate people about state school finances and hopes more people will get involved.

“The future of our state depends on our kids and how well they’re supported in what we do for them,” Bell said. 

Third-year La Canada Elementary PTA Executive Board member Christie Clarkson attended the forum. The incoming PTA president felt well-informed about fiscal woes for education funding, but still found the presentation eye-opening. 

"The most glaring fact for me is our state faces a massive two-year budget shortfall of $6.1 billion, which will translate to devastating cuts to our schools," Clarkson said.

La Cañada Unified school district faces a funding gap of $6 million for the 2011-2012 school year, she said. 

"This places a giant responsibility on us as a community to help our schools.  Thankfully, the La Canada-Flintridge Education Foundation has proven strong in its efforts to raise money and have initiated a special task force to raise awareness of this unprecedented financial crisis."

Clarkson works with the foundation, which formed a task force to help the schools out. The organization asks that each family whose children attend LCUSD donate $2,500 each year to the foundation to cover the needed funding. 

"As a parent of two, I feel very fortunate that the LCFEF helps maintain a superior public education here in La Cañada," Clarkson said.  

On March 12, the Five Star Coalition will host a forum from 1 to 3 p.m. at Glendale High School, 1440 E. Broadway, Glendale, Zwerling said. Working as a group, they will host local legislators, educators and families to discuss what programs suffered and which ones maintain continued successes.

The forum's website ptaforum.org, will continue to create dialogue, pinpoint issues and provide additional information for how each district can take legislative action, Zwerling said.