A statewide strike is set to begin on March 4 with participants from Los Angeles to the steps of the state capitol. The statewide Day of Action will address the cuts made to public education in California.

The Sacramento State Capitol rally is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the north steps of the capitol.

"Working to protect and increase academic achievement for all students has always been a priority for the Governor and in the face of a $20 billion deficit, his budget proposal fully funds education at the same levels as last year," spokesperson Mike Naple said. " He supports the students' right to engage in peaceful demonstrations and voice their opinions on issues that are important to them."

Teachers, students, parents, and concerned citizens are going to participate in the various strikes and walkouts around California.

"It's commendable and hopefully drives home this message: that we can no longer cut education," Adam Keigwin, Chief of Staff of Senator Leland Yee said. "I suspect people will be very passionate about their position. Being passionate and vocal is helpful--Senator Yee commends those that do it that way."

Five UC students were arrested on March 1 at the state capitol during a protest relating to the education cuts.

"However, when it comes to cuts, let me make one point very clear: Our state, our economy and our future is so dependent on education that, as far as I'm concerned, we must protect education," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his January 8 budget speech. "For K-14, my budget fully funds the Proposition 98 guarantee, which is $50 billion. It also maintains the same level of funding for schools next year as we had this year. For higher education, my budget is funding a $225 million increase. It is my hope that with this funding level we can avoid any further fee increases."

On January 6, the Governor "submitted draft legislative language to Legislative Counsel, taking the first step to asking the legislature to reshape California's priorities and ensure the University of California and California State University systems are always funded at higher levels than prisons," according to the Governor's State of the State proposal.

To reach the Governor's goal, the amendment will require the state to begin shifting all taxpayer money deducted from the costs of operating state prisons to the budget to operate higher education beginning in the 2011-12 fiscal year, culminating with the final deadline to implement the initiative in fiscal year 2014-15. Under the proposal, the amount to shift to higher education will be determined by computing the difference between the current year's general fund budget and the prior year's general fund budget for the state prison system, according to the Governor's proposed constitutional amendment, as part of his 2010 State of the State Address.

The Governor's 2010-2011 budget proposal includes: Increasing flexibility to ensure California's students have the most effective teachers, giving school districts 60 days to determine staffing after the budget is adopted or amended, giving power back to local governing boards to ensure high-quality educators are teaching California's students, and eliminating regulations giving laid off teachers first priority for substitute assignments and that these substitutes be paid at rate received before they were laid off.

A $66 million cut was made to the CSU alone last year.