What is the PUSD?
The Pasadena Unified School District serves about 19,500 students in Altadena, Pasadena, Sierra Madre and adjoining unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County.

How well is the District educating our community’s young people?

What exactly does Measure CC do?
Measure CC will provide local funds for education that cannot be taken away by the state. These funds will be used only for academic programs. Specifically in our community these funds will help:

• preserve quality education and protect academic programs against state budget cuts
• continue advanced math, science and technology courses
• continue art and music programs
• keep school libraries open
• retain qualified teachers
• maintain manageable class size
• support other critical academic programs that help prepare our students for college and careers.

How much will Measure CC be — and how long will it be active?
$120 per taxable parcel of property per year ($10 a month or about 33 cents a day) for 5 years only.

How will voting take place?
This will be a mail ballot only election. The Registrar of Voters will mail ballots to all registered voters (including homeowners and renters) around the first week of April, and they must be received by the Registrar no later than May 4, 2010.

How much will Measure CC raise?
Approximately $7,000,000 a year for 5 years.

Why do we need Measure CC now?
Our local schools are primarily funded by the state government. Not only is California 49th in the country in per-student state funding, new state cutbacks in education are cutting $23 million dollars in funding for our local schools and hurting classroom instruction even more.

How many votes are needed to pass Measure CC?
State law requires that 2/3 of those who vote must vote YES on Measure CC.

What will happen if voters reject Measure CC?
Without Measure CC class sizes will increase, school libraries will be closed, many music and art programs will be eliminated, advanced courses in math and science will be reduced, and summer school will be cut back drastically or eliminated altogether.

Did voters just vote last year for a tax for the District?
2008’s Measure TT was a bond measure for the renovation and repair of facilities. Money from that measure cannot be used for academic programs.

Will Measure CC have an independent community oversight committee to make sure the money is well spent?
Yes, even though it’s not required by law, Measure CC provides for independent community oversight to monitor the spending of Measure CC funds and report their finding to the community. We expect that, like the oversight committee for Measure TT, the oversight committee for Measure CC will be populated with able, independent and respected individuals and fully empowered to do its job. Independent annual audits provide further assurance that the money will be well spent.

Even if Measure CC passes and raises $7+ million, what will the District do about the other $16 million in budget cuts?
State budget cuts will result in a $23 million budget gap for the District and Measure CC will only raise $7+ million. Teachers, librarians, district staff, administrators, are working to agree on a furlough plan to help address the budget crisis. Even so, there will be other cuts and layoffs but the District will keep them away from the classroom as much as possible. The District will pursue other options too.

I don’t have children in the schools - How will Measure CC benefit me?
Education matters to our entire community -- to all of us, whether or not we have children or grandchildren in the public schools. Investing in our schools is the best investment we can make. Good schools help young people become strong, contributing citizens. Good schools also help ensure an educated workforce, reduce school dropouts, delinquency, crime, incarcerations and welfare costs, protect property values, support the local economy and enhance the quality of life for all of us. Good schools are essential to a strong national economy, a vibrant democracy and a great country.

Is the District heavy on administration?
District administration is lean and getting leaner.
A March 2007 management audit report by Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. of Austin, recommended new positions at an estimated cost of approximately $500,000 a year. Instead, since then, 23 leadership positions have been reduced to 16 (a reduction of 26%). An additional $2,175,000 reduction goes into effect on July 1st.

One widely accepted measure of administrative burden is the indirect cost rate. This is a percentage of operations that is considered the general management cost for the general operation of the District. Not long ago, the District’s indirect cost rate exceeded 10%. The current indirect cost rate is 4.88%, and starting July 1st, it will be barely 4%.

Though lean, District administration is strong: Top performers have been recruited from successful careers in other school districts.

Is Measure CC unfair?
Unlike parcel taxes for cities and city libraries, school parcel taxes must by law establish uniform rates for all properties. Some school districts with different rates have faced court challenges, and the District felt it could not take the risk of CC’s becoming embroiled in costly and time-consuming litigation.

How does the District’s per-student funding compare with that of other districts?
California public schools receive an amount of money per student from the State for operational funds – that is, funds for regular education and on-going operations, including regular education teachers, principals, office staff, custodians, other support staff, utilities, books and supplies, and other services. In 2007-2008, the District received from the State $5,644 per student in operational funds and ranked 41st out of 47 unified districts in Los Angeles County, or in the bottom 15%.

Two-thirds of the District’s highly diverse students come from families poor enough to qualify for free and reduced price school meals. In addition, the District has an unusually high number of students with special needs. Special government funds for these services raise the District’s per student funding above that of many other districts, including surrounding affluent districts. Incidentally, these funds are inadequate, so those services are substantially funded by the District’s general operating funds, which otherwise would go to the classroom and benefit all students.

What honors and recognition have our public schools received lately?

• Field and Longfellow elementary schools have been nominated as California Department of Education Distinguished Schools. Winners will be announced soon, and the District believes it likely they will win.
• Hamilton Elementary Schools has been designated a National Blue Ribbon School. This award, from the U.S. Department of Education, is the highest honor a school can receive.
• Hamilton and Willard Elementary Schools are California Department of Education Academic Achievement Award Winners.
• Marshall Fundamental Secondary School received a Silver Medal from the U.S. News & World Report, announced in their 2010 list of the nation’s best high schools.
• Hamilton, Longfellow and Willard elementary schools are California Business for Education Excellence 2009 Honor Roll Star Schools.
• Sierra Madre Elementary School is a California Business for Education Excellence 2009 Honor Roll Scholar School.

What about low-income seniors?
The exemption for low-income seniors (65 and older) will help those most in need. To make the exemption easy to obtain, the District will make forms available at the District Office, every school site and on the District website, and a special phone number will be set up to provide information on the exemption and how to get it.

Who supports this Measure?
Our lists of volunteers, contributors, endorsers and other supporters grow every day. Already we have the endorsements of many individuals and these organizations.

How can I help?
You can volunteer to help this effort by clicking here, emailing us or calling Darla Dyson at (626) 644-1425. Financial contributions can be made here.