PEF Understands That A Great Public Education Isn’t Free
Public school finance in the state of California has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. Since the 1970s, with the advent of Prop 13’s capping of local property taxes and the subsequent redistribution of local monies through the state, all public schools have seen dramatically reduced allocations to education. Once a national leader in K-12 funding, California now ranks among the lowest in the country with only 3.2% of tax-payer income spent on K-12 education.
In Piedmont, however, unprecedented community support of the approved parcel tax measures, and impressive parent and community participation in school fundraisers, make it possible for the District to preserve essential academic programs and student support services. Within the past few years, Piedmont voters approved Measure H which provides funds to attract and retain teachers and education support staff, renewed Measure G which is a flat property tax benefiting our schools, and passed Measure H1 which allowed the sales of bonds to fund a the S.T.E.A.M. building and Performing Arts Center at Piedmont High School.
