Patch Blog: You and I Can Restore School Funding

The sun is out and the dog days of summer are here, but I’m already thinking about back-to-school. 

You may be like me, and in addition to summer reading lists and school supplies, you are thinking about how you can ensure your kids have the education they need to succeed.

 You can do something right now to restore what our schools have lost through years of cuts by joining me and the California State PTA in supporting Our Children, Our Future. This PTA-supported education initiative, Prop 38 on the November 6, 2012 ballot, will raise billions of dollars a year in guaranteed new funding that will be sent directly to every California public school.

With Prop 38, my child’s school, South Pasadena Senior High, will receive an additional $1,454,176 in 2013-14 that will increase over the next 11 years. These vitally needed new funds flow directly to our school to improve students’ academic performance, graduation rates, and college and career readiness. Use the benefits calculator here to find out how much money your child’s school will receive.

Our local school board, with input from parents, teachers, school officials and community members, then decides how to spend these new dollars. That way, we can allocate funding where it is needed most, based on each school’s individual needs. There is also more transparency and accountability on all levels.  School boards must set educational improvement goals for each school and publicly disclose how funding was spent at each school and whether outcomes were improved.

Californians will pay for this investment in our schools through a fair and balanced tax with the wealthiest paying the most because they can best afford it.  

Everyone pays what they can because we all benefit from better schools.

What can Our Children, Our Future do for us?

I’m envisioning a flourishing visual and performing arts program in our elementary schools, middle school and high school—a program that includes art, music, drama, dance and media arts that is not just available for part of the year, or for certain select students—a program that is not left to the whim of an elective wheel, but one that is treated as the core curriculum the arts are designated as being.  In other words, I'm envisioning an arts program that is aligned with our SPUSD Arts Policy which says our district will "Meet or exceed the California Visual and Performing Arts Standrads for all of our students K-12". http://www.gamutonline.net/district/spasa/DisplayPolicy/181429/6

I’m also picturing my daughter's school with a state-of-the-art science lab full of modern equipment for students to conduct experiments, test hypotheses and learn through hands-on activities.

I’m thinking about smaller class sizes, up-to-date teaching materials, and training programs to improve the way our teachers teach and our children learn.

So as one parent to another, I ask you to join the growing campaign to bring back transparency and return local control over our children’s education. Spread the word to your friends on Facebook and face-to-face at your next summer barbeque and vote YES on Prop 38 on November 6^th.  We can do this!  If you would like to receive updates on Facebook, you can "Like" the South Pasadena Council PTA Legislation Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SouthPasadenaCouncilPTALegislation?ref=hl