The coalition -- which includes the California Teachers Association, University of California, California State University, Community College League of California, and California School Employees Association -- stressed the impact of a $4.8 billion cut to K-12 and community colleges, along with $644.8 million from UC and CSU campuses.

"Our state and its people cannot prosper in the 21st century if we force our schools to live on a fiscal starvation diet," Garamendi said Thursday at Sacramento City College.

CTA President David Sanchez said the cuts would be equal to the loss of 107,000 teachers, or increasing the number of students in every K-12 classroom by up to 35 percent.

Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Sabrina Lockhart said the governor understands the difficulty of his proposed budget. "The governor is putting closing tax loopholes on the table and remains adamant we need immediate action. But we have yet to see a proposal from the Legislature," Lockhart said.