YES on Prop 2: School & Community College Facility Bonds.

Prop 2 would supplement local bond funds by authorizing $8.5 billion in state bonds for construction and modernization of K-12 schools and $1.5 billion for community colleges. All children in California deserve school facilities in good repair and equipped to provide them with a 21st century education. Research shows that modernized school facilities correlate with better test scores, higher attendance, and lower suspension rates. There has been no new bond money going to school facilities since 2016, and there is a massive need for modernization of old and construction of new educational facilities across the state.

Passage of Prop 2 is critical to our children’s health, safety, and educational progress. At the same time, the measure’s funding formula is not equitable. Except in a few hardship cases, all districts are required to pay 40% or 50% of the cost of a project – with funds being much harder and more expensive to raise in property-poor districts. This inequity hits hardest in rural districts and those with higher numbers of Latine, English learner, and low-income students. Prop 2 slightly lowers the contribution required from poorer districts, but the impact is minimal.  While the League of Women Voters of California urges the state to create an equitable funding formula that addresses the dire needs of our most underserved students, we support Prop 2 because providing no funding would hurt all students.

Vote YES on Proposition 2