On June 26, 2012, the Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education passed two resolutions in support of placing an elementary education parcel tax and a secondary education parcel tax before the voters in the November 2012 general election. The secondary education parcel tax would be dedicated to support for math, science, technology, music, arts, foreign language, and career skills courses at a levy of $45 annually for four years. The elementary education parcel tax would be dedicated to support classroom music, math, science, technology education and help maintain class sizes at a levy of $48 annually for four years. Both parcel taxes passed in the general election. For the 2013-14 school year, the following programs and personnel are proposed:
Elementary Schools
You will note that the plan is to continue to provide supplementary programs for students in classroom music, science, mathematics and technology. The plan includes providing music teachers for each elementary school site, stipends to pay teachers to provide technology support, funds to purchase materials to support instruction in math and science and funds to support the purchase of technology. As a result of the increase in the per parcel tax, the difference between measures I and B, elementary schools will have significantly more funds to support math, science and technology.
Secondary Schools
The plan is to continue to provide supplementary programs for students in foreign language, music, art, and theater arts. Additionally, schools will have the opportunity to start new career related courses. We will continue to supplement technology instruction and professional learning for teachers through our Technology Coaching Plan where classroom teachers provide instruction and support for other classroom teachers at school sites. The attached proposed budget summaries provide further detail.