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Dr. Rivas, Mr. Schmerelson- Protecting California's Investment in Public Education Support for Proposition 3 - California Children's Education and Health Care Protection Act of 2026 (Res-006-26/27) (Waiver of Board Rule 72) 1:00 P.M. TIME CERTAIN
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Whereas, California's public schools are vital to our democracy and shared prosperity, and every student, regardless of neighborhood, family income, race, language, disability, or immigration status, deserves qualified educators, rigorous instruction, safe and welcoming campuses, and the academic, social-emotional, and health supports necessary to thrive;
Whereas, California, as one of the wealthiest states in the nation, has both the capacity and the responsibility to invest in strong public institutions, and a fair tax system asks those with the greatest ability to pay to contribute more toward the schools, health care, and public services on which all communities depend;
Whereas, For more than a decade, educators, labor organizations, families, and community advocates have organized to protect public education and essential services through a fairer tax system, helping secure voter approval of Proposition 30 in 2012 and Proposition 55 in 2016 and demonstrating the power of collective action to advance the common good;
Whereas, Proposition 3, the California Children's Education and Health Care Protection Act of 2026, would make permanent the existing voter-approved personal income tax rates on high-income Californians before they expire in 2031, without establishing new tax rates or increasing the rates Californians currently pay;
Whereas, The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office estimates that Proposition 3 would maintain between $5 billion and $15 billion in annual state revenue, with roughly 40 percent supporting schools and community colleges through California's constitutional education funding requirements and the remainder supporting health care, budget reserves, and other essential state programs;
Whereas, Proposition 3 would continue the Education Protection Account established by voters, allocating those dedicated education revenues 89 percent to K-12 schools and 11 percent to community colleges, allowing local school boards to determine how K-12 funds are spent while prohibiting their use for administrative costs;
Whereas, Educational equity requires sustained public investment sufficient to expand opportunity and address disparities created by poverty, segregation, disability, language barriers, and generations of unequal access to resources, and stable state funding helps protect the educators, counselors, nurses, arts and enrichment programs, special education, multilingual learner services, mental health supports, and other services students need to succeed;
Whereas, Los Angeles Unified School District faces significant fiscal pressures, including declining enrollment, rising costs, and uncertainty in federal support, and the loss of billions of dollars in statewide revenue would intensify pressure on school-site staffing, programs, and services, with the greatest consequences falling on students and communities with the highest needs; and
Whereas, Proposition 3 reflects a broader commitment by educators, workers, families, and community partners across California to defend public education, strengthen essential public services, and ensure that the state's prosperity is shared through sustained investment in the next generation; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Governing Board of the Los Angeles Unified School District joins educators, school boards, labor organizations, families, and community partners across California in expressing strong support for Proposition 3, the California Children's Education and Health Care Protection Act of 2026, and affirms that stable, adequate, and progressive public revenue is essential to educational opportunity and strong public institutions; and, be it finally
Resolved further, That the Board urges California voters to vote YES on Proposition 3 on the November 3, 2026, statewide ballot to protect existing funding for public schools and students and preserve a progressive, long-term source of state revenue; and, be it finally
Resolved, That the Board recognizes that strong public schools are sustained not only through public funding, but through the continued participation and collective action of educators, students, families, workers, and communities, and encourages all eligible voting-age students, District employees, families, and community members to register to vote, make a plan to cast their ballot, participate in the democratic process, and make their voices heard on decisions affecting the future of public education and California's communities.