| Congratulations to the students and staff of Hidden Hills School. The recently released Academic Performance Index (API) shows that Hidden Hills is the #1 elementary school in our district. Our scores reflect an increase of 10 points over last year. This achievement is directly linked to the parents’ continued commitment to providing an exceptional education for all Hidden Hills students. |
Programs
Click here to view a larger image of the 2007-08 Hawks Education Fund Operating Budget for Programs.
The 2007-8 Operating Budget is $273,557 with 78% of the funds being directed towards salaries for teachers and pare-educators (teachers’ aides).
Many people are surprised to learn that their local property taxes do not directly fund local schools. Instead, the State of California is the primary funding source for public schools. When the State reduces school funding, districts must reduce programs or seek other sources of funds. The parents at Hidden Hills School formed the Hidden Hills Hawks Education Fund to raise the necessary funds to meet the budget short-fall. For more information, please read the article below by Rob Kessler:
SRVUSD - A Low Wealth District in a high wealth community
By Rob Kessler, Superintendent
How did it happen that students in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District receive less money per student for their education than students in other parts of the Bay Area and the State?
We are considered a low-wealth school district in a state that is already having serious problems funding quality schools. Our 2002-03 State "Revenue Limit" (the funding received by the State for districts' general fund purposes) was about $4,650 per student. The statewide average for unified school districts was about $4,750. The national average was about $5,700.
Complex events over the last 25 years have caused students in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District to end up on the bottom of State funding. Prior to 1972, school districts collected funds based on the assessed value of property located within the school district. The State was faced with growing public concern regarding the large disparity between the amount of funds available to districts with a high tax base and the smaller amount of funds available to other districts. Generally, urban districts had more funds available than rural ones. Because of this public concern, in 1972, the State set revenue limits for every district. This revenue limit was based on the per pupil funding in the districts at that time. Because of the rural nature of the districts in the San Ramon Valley, our revenue limit was set at a much lower level than that of many other districts. The current formula used to fund schools is still essentially the same formula established in 1972.
The situation was made more difficult by Proposition 13, passed by voters statewide in 1978. Proposition 13 restricted the amount that local governments could collect from property taxes, and imposed a 2/3 vote requirement for school boards and other local agencies to raise taxes. The end result of these factors is that, currently, some of our neighboring districts receive more money per student.
What can be done? The authority rests with the State legislature and governor to change the current situation. The San Ramon Valley Unified School District, in conjunction with many other school districts and state education organizations, engages in a continuing lobbying effort to bring districts like ours up to the State average, and to change the way schools are financed. You can help with lobbying efforts, either as an individual or as part of your organizational activities. You can also help by sharing this explanation with friends and neighbors so that they, too, can help advocate for public schools.
The pdf of this article and additional Facts and Figures can be found on the SRVUSD website.