What is the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN?
SAVE OUR SCHOOLS is a 60-day emergency fundraising campaign through the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation to help replace funding slashed by State budget cuts to education and keep class sizes low, protect libraries, music and counselor, and save our great teachers for the 2010-2011 school year.
Why do we need the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN?
On May 25, Measure A, a local school funding measure that was to have protected Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District schools from unprecedented State budget cuts fell just short of the 2/3rds vote requirement to pass. As a result, the SMMUSD Board of Education was forced to cut $7.1 million dollars from the 2010 – 2011 budget, nearly 10% of its general operating funds, to close the budget deficit.
What was cut?
65 teacher and staff positions were eliminated for next year
Class sizes will be increased, teachers fired, all elementary libraries close, counselor ratios increased.
For full information about the cuts, access
http://www.smmusd.org/press/press0910/BudgetReductionActions.htm
What will SAVE OUR SCHOOLS pay for?
Funds raised will be used to restore jobs and keep class sizes at the lowest ratios possible. Funds will also be used to restore school counselor, library and music jobs.
How much money is needed?
- ELEMENTARY SCHOOL $1,680,000 (grades K-5) – Retain all teachers and keep class sizes at current levels.
- SECONDARY SCHOOL/COUNSELORS $2,250,000 (grades 6 – 12) - Retain teachers and counselors.
Keep class sizes at and counseling ratios near current levels.
- LIBRARIES/MUSIC - $700,000 - Keep elementary school libraries open. Also, restore elementary music program to current level.
How will SAVE OUR SCHOOLS work?
On May 27, the Santa Monica Malibu Board of Education voted to allow donations from the Education Foundation to directly fund teacher and staff jobs for the 2010-2011 school year. Contributions can be earmarked specifically to the categories below –
- ELEMENTARY CLASS SIZE – 100% of contributions to this purpose
- SECONDARY CLASS SIZE/COUNSELORS – Contributions applied 50% to each
- LIBRARIES/MUSIC – Contributions applied 50% to each
Why is this a 60-day campaign?
In order to save jobs and keep class sizes low for next year, the 2010-2011 school year, contributions must be received by the Education Foundation by AUGUST 15, 2010.
What happens if the full amount for each category is not reached?
If fundraising within any or all of the three categories does not reach the full amount needed to restore all positions, then partial restoration will be made.
Who decides which jobs will be restored?
Hiring and firing is decided by order of seniority per Classroom Teachers Association agreements. If partial rehiring takes place, then the most senior teachers will be the first to be rehired per final approval by the Board of Education.
What happens if one category is fully funded and another is not?
The fully-funded category will be fully restored and the partially-funded category will be partially restored.
What happens if one category receives more donations that needed for full restoration?
Should a category receive more contributions than needed to fully restore the designated program, the Board of Education will move some of the excess funds to a lesser-funded category. The decision of which category is at the discretion of the Board of Education.
Will my contribution save the teachers at my child’s school?
Because teacher and staff job restoration must take place in order of seniority, the only guarantee to retain teacher jobs at your child’s school would be full funding of that individual category.
If partial reinstatement takes place, what happens to the teachers at my school?
Staffing at each school will rely on moving more senior teachers into open position at individual school sites.
Who else supports the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN?
The SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN is enthusiastically supported by the Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs and individual school PTAs across the Santa Monica Malibu School District. In addition, community organizations and leaders will likely join the campaign as efforts become more widely known.
Who else besides parents will be asked to contribute?
Our excellent public schools enhance the Santa Monica and Malibu communities in so many ways. The SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN expects to reach out to community residents who don’t have children in our schools, property owners, community organizations, leaders and businesses.
How can I be sure that my contribution will be used to for SAVE OUR SCHOOLS?
The Education Foundation will create an online reporting system so that everyone can keep track of contributions received and how close we are to reducing class sizes and saving programs.
Is this contribution the same as my PTA annual giving contribution?
No, contributions to the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN are specifically earmarked to respond to the immediate financial emergency caused by State funding cuts and the failure of Measure A to provide adequate, stable funding. The 2010-2011 school year will need to be a year of extraordinary giving and generosity to preserve and protect the quality of our excellent public schools.
Isn’t this just a quick fix or a band-aid?
In some ways, yes. The emergency we face today is extraordinary, and the only way to protect our schools, maintain class sizes, keep libraries open and fully protect our elementary music program is to successfully fund this emergency “bridge”. If we can keep our high-quality teachers here in Santa Monica Malibu schools for the 2010 – 2011 school year through this emergency giving, we hope to then pass a sustainable funding measure to keep those teachers right here where they belong for the years that follow.
What is the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS goal?
It may not be realistic to fully restore class sizes and programs for next year. However, families at every school in our district have been calling out for efforts to try to protect our schools in any capacity from these painful cuts. If the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS campaign is able to restore even a portion of the pending cuts, it will have been a great success.
What is The Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation?
Established in 1982, the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation is the sole fundraising organization that equitably serves the entire School District and provides all students with access to the educational opportunities they deserve. The Ed Foundation raises funds in support of Academics, Art, and Athletics.
How can I contribute?
Make checks payable to: SMMEF (Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation)
1649 - 16th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
You may designate "elementary" or "secondary/counselors" or “libraries/music” in the memo line.
How can I volunteer to help SAVE OUR SCHOOLS?
Please contact Jody Brooks at the Education Foundation. 310.452.0728,
jodybrooks@aol.com
|
