In 2020, two important school funding measures are facing California voters: the Public Preschool, K-12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2020, and the California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020.

California State PTA, with its long history of advocating for the improvement of public schools, is supporting both.

Despite having the fifth-largest economy in the world, California is 41st in the nation in terms of per-student funding, and 40th in percentage of taxable income spent on education. This is unacceptable – our children deserve better! More funds must be allocated to revitalize schools and ensure that students get a well-rounded, top-notch education in modern, secure facilities. The billions both of these measures will raise will not only improve the safety and infrastructure of school facilities, but will also allow districts to fund a full curriculum, which includes science and arts education.

For many of us, it is no surprise that many of our communities lack the necessary funding to improve their facilities and expand their curriculums. Without the necessary funds, California schools are failing to adhere to mandates in such areas as arts education and science learning. By supporting both of these funding measures, however, we support the mission-driven impact we strive for on behalf of all children and families across the state.

We urge you to support the passage of both these ballot measures. Doing so will benefit your children, families and communities. Here’s a bit on each one, and what you can do to help California State PTA ensure their approval:

The Public Preschool, K-12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2020 (also known as Proposition 13-2020) will raise $9 billion for the K-12 system and $2 billion for each of the three higher education segments (UC, CSU, and Community Colleges) to construct and modernize school facilities. It will appear on the March 3, 2020 ballot.

We strongly encourage you to vote for this bond measure in March. Click here to read more about it on the CAPTA website – you'll find a summary of the measure and links to useful documents, including the full text of the measure and the California State PTA Study Committee Report. Click here to read the press release.

The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020 (also known as the “split roll” initiative), will raise approximately $12 billion in annual funds for public education, local governments and community services by reassessing and taxing certain commercial properties at current market value. The initiative will appear on the November 2020 statewide ballot if it gets enough signatures to qualify by April 14.

We urge you to sign the petition, which you can do by clicking here. The campaign is also seeking volunteers to help collect signatures. Click here to volunteer.

Click here to read more about the initiative on CAPTA's website – you'll find a summary of the initiative, a link to the full text, the fiscal impact report, and many more documents. Click here to read the press release.