On July 17, a group of Innovate Public Schools parent leaders met with representatives from the Redwood City Community for Better Schools campaign committee to discuss Measure H that is set to appear on the November ballot. If implemented, Measure H would generate about $3.45 million annually to fund local Redwood City public schools.
Innovate Public Schools has engaged hundreds of families in Redwood City since the organization was founded in 2013. Families are currently actively engaged in the work of advocating for high quality public education, especially approaches that prioritize students who are traditionally disadvantaged, such as Latinos, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, English Learners, and students with disabilities.
In June 2019, the Redwood City school board voted unanimously to place Measure H on the ballot in the midst of increasingly drastic forecasted budget deficits for the Redwood City school district. With a lack of funding, the district has had to make some tough calls to close schools for this fall, cut spending, and reduce staff. The proposed Measure H would provide a stable source of local revenue, ideally allowing Redwood City public schools to attract high-quality teachers, reduce class sizes in lower grades, and work towards providing the quality of education that students deserve.
Redwood City Education Fund Executive Director Jason Galisatus and board member Connie Guerrero reached out to Innovate Public Schools in hopes of partnering around the Measure H campaign and making space for a strong parent voice. Parent leaders invited Jason and Connie to attend a meeting where they presented about the tax, answered questions, and discussed what engagement in the campaign and Measure H committee might look like.
During the meeting, a common concern for parents was whether the funding would go to both district and charter public schools in Redwood City. This was an important point for families who have chosen to educate their children in local charter public schools as well as district schools, and wish to see the funds distributed equitably. They were assured that would be the case, similar to the funds from Measure U, which was last renewed in 2016. In addition, parents were curious about how the funds would be administered, and how Redwood City will ensure this new revenue truly makes a positive impact on the educational outcomes of the schools. They learned that if Measure H passes, the school district will organize an oversight committee, which is open for anyone to apply.
Ultimately, the Redwood City parent group unanimously decided to support the tax, and pledged to spread awareness to other residents in a Get Out the Vote campaign this fall. This supportive sentiment is shared by many Redwood City community members, as a recent poll indicates, with 72% of voters approving of the tax, above the 66.7% requirement for the tax to win approval.
- If you want to learn more about Measure H, visit: Redwood City Community for Better Schools.
- Get involved with Innovate’s Redwood City parent group.