California Calls’ massive push to motivate new and occasional voters to go to the polls in record numbers in November 2012 resulted in a voter surge which helped to pass Prop 30.  Since then, we have monitored how the Prop 30 funds are being spent.  Last spring we surveyed over 93,000 voters about how the new tax dollars should be distributed to improve K-12 education.  Now, our anchor organizations are working hard to make sure the funds are spent in ways that benefit the students with the most need.

California Calls’ member organizations are getting parents, students and community members involved so that the new Local Control Funding Formula is working statewide to target resources to children in poverty, foster care and who are English Language Learners.

 

In Kern County, the Dolores Huerta Foundation has organized community members to give recommendations to the school district to use the additional school funds for restorative justice and engagement with parents.

 

At the end of March, Alliance San Diego launched the three-month Family Leadership Development Program to provide families with the tools and resources needed to advocate for their students in San Diego schools.

 

In Los Angeles, Community Coalition and Inner City Struggle organized a rally outside the Los Angeles Unified School District Headquarters to unveil and urge the school board to adopt the Student Need Index, a new tool to determine high-need schools based on research that includes academic outcomes and neighborhood conditions.

 

CAUSE, Knotts Family Agency, and COPE  in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Riverside counties have held community meetings since 2013 to help educate and engage families and community members on how to get involved with the decision making process in their local school districts.