‘Other districts receive twice what we do’: SJ school district proposes measure for more funding

( KRON )—The East Side Union High School District in San Jose, self-described as having one of the lowest levels of funding in the nation, believes that inequality in school funding puts its students at a competitive disadvantage to their county peers.

“ESUHSD receives nearly half of the funding that many of our county peers to provide the same exceptional, well-rounded educational experience to our high school students,” the school district said in a statement.

To take matters into their own hands, East San Jose school district officials are proposing Measure N, a parcel tax that could fund the district’s 14 schools with about $6.4 million annually over the next five years.

“ESUHSD receives $14,927 from the state funding formula (LCFF), while other districts in our own county receive almost two times as much from the same state funding formula. Our district is seeking additional sources of funding and revenue to fill in the gaps,” school district officials wrote.

Here’s a list of issues the measure would hypothetically improve, according to ESUHSD:

• Protecting college prep and career training programs
• Maintaining competitive wages for teachers and staff
• Attracting highly qualified teachers, counselors, and staff

The measure would be levied at a flat $49 per parcel, meaning funds would come from a fixed tax on all parcels — residential, commercial, and industrial — located within the East San Jose district.

The school district ensures Measure N will include “full public disclosure of all spending.” They plan to do so by having an “Independent Oversight Committee” to report and review all expenditures. “Funds cannot be taken by the state and spent elsewhere,” ESUHSD said.

The measure will pass if approved by at least two-thirds of the vote on the Nov. 5 ballot. On Oct. 26, vote centers will open around Santa Clara. County voting centers can be found here .

In 2014, the Oakland Unified School District similarly adopted Measure N, but with more than double the per-parcel tax at $120 .

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