Results show Equitable and Adequate Funding for Education are Top of Mind for CA Public School Parents

OAKLAND, Calif. – Parents of K-12 public school students in California overwhelmingly support Proposition 15 (77%) and Proposition 16 (66%), according to a new poll from The EdTrust – West.  The statewide poll of more than 800 parents was conducted by Global Strategy Group between Thursday, October 1 to Wednesday, October 8.

“Nobody understands better than parents that our future will be brightest if every child has an equal opportunity to achieve their dreams. The shadow of systemic racism follows students of color in California from before they ever set foot into a classroom through college and beyond. Proposition 16 is our chance to take action against discrimination and level the playing field for all students,” said Dr. Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Executive Director of The EdTrust – West.

“For too long, we have starved our public schools of the resources they need to support students — especially low-income students and students of color, ” Dr. Smith Arrillaga added. “By passing Proposition 15, we can close corporate tax loopholes to invest in public education just as we need it most.”

Proposition 15 will require large commercial and industrial property holders to pay property taxes based on current value. The resulting tax dollars would increase funding for K-12 public schools, community colleges and local governments. The tax increases would not apply to any residential or agricultural property or increase property taxes for small businesses with property valued at $3 million or lower.

Proposition 16 ends California’s ban on affirmative action, providing a new opportunity to address structural racism and its detrimental impact on students of color in California’s K-12 and higher education institutions. Proposition 16 will allow schools and districts to intentionally recruit and retain teachers of color and remove barriers to college access and success for underrepresented students of color through California’s public colleges and universities.

About The EdTrust-West

The EdTrust-West works for educational justice and the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, pre-K through college, in the state of California. We expose opportunity and achievement gaps that separate students of color and low-income students from other youth, and we identify and advocate for the strategies that will forever close those gaps.

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