Funding formulas for public schools in California are complex, and confusing, even for the well-informed folks involved in the processes, priorities and protocol governing the allocation of taxpayer dollars destined for the halls of learning.
That is especially true here on the pricey Peninsula where 23 separate public school districts, educating 87,785 youngsters kindergarten through 12th grade last year (that figure has been steadily dropping over the past few years), coexist in a wildly diverse and often perplexing fiscal world.
Using the most recent data (for the post-pandemic year 2022-23) provided by the state’s Department of Education’s handy website this week, it is clear that little is changing in San Mateo County when it comes to pursuing relatively equal financing in public education. If anything, gaps seem to be widening.
On the basis of dollars spent per full-time equivalent student, the Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary District allocated $14,689; conversely, the hyper-wealthy Woodside Elementary District, located in a rustic, estate-laden, equine-friendly niche in Silicon Valley spent $37,788, more than double its South County peer.
The imbalance is stark but hardly out of line in a county that features big swings in education funding, reasons for which include old court rulings, historical exceptions to legal mandates dating back decades, federal and state revenue allocated for special categories, voter-approved parcel taxes, citizen foundations and other donations. Construction bond packages are not included in operating costs.
Some districts are financed primarily by the state via enrollment; others get their cash based, in the main, on local property valuations.
Our county has a high percentage of locally funded districts; the number can fluctuate year to year. According to the county’s Office of Education, 16 of our 23 districts were locally funded in 2023-24.
Here are the state’s most up-to-date per child expenditure figures, ranked lowest to highest:
• Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary, $14,689
• Millbrae Elementary, $15,113
• Pacifica Elementary, $15,118
• Burlingame Elementary, $15,615
• Jefferson Elementary, $17.084
• San Carlos Elementary, $17,291
• San Bruno Park Elementary, $18,511
• Cabrillo Unified, $18,912
• South San Francisco Unified, $18,988
• San Mateo-Foster City Elementary, $19,975
• Bayshore Elementary, $20,339
• Redwood City Elementary, $21,293
• Jefferson Union High, $22.687
• San Mateo Union High, $25,245
• Brisbane Elementary, $25,564
• Menlo Park City Elementary, $26,348
• Sequoia Union High, $26,951
• Hillsborough City Elementary, $29,244
• Las Lomitas Elementary, $30,878
• La Honda-Pescadero Unified, $32,226
• Portola Valley Elementary, $34,945
• Ravenswood City Elementary, $35,551
• Woodside Elementary, $37,788
AN ENROLLMENT ADDENDUM: In spite of San Mateo County’s overall enrollment decline to a listed 87,785 students in 2022-23 via new state data (down from 97,275 five years prior), the numbers are just as telling for our neighbor to the north. The San Francisco Unified School District’s most recent enrollment total was just 64,630 (down from 74,884 five years ago) in a county with an overall population that exceeds ours by 10%.
HALL OF FAME TICKETS ON SALE: Tickets are still available for the 2024 Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony June 27. The event, begun in 1989 to honor local athletes, coaches, administrators, officials and other deserving individuals, will be held at the San Mateo County History Museum on Broadway in Redwood City, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Master of ceremonies will be former TV sports anchor Joe Fonzi. For tickets at $20 for museum members and $35 for nonmembers, call the museum at (650) 299-0104. This year’s inductees are: Brent Brennan, Frankie Ferrari, Sam Goldman, Lindsay James DeAlba, Ben Burr-Kirven and Terilyn Moe.
DRAG QUEEN READING IN SSF: Though controversial in some quarters, Drag Queen Storytime for children will be presented 11 a.m. Saturday at the South San Francisco Library/Parks and Recreation Center on Civic Campus Way. Female impersonator Baylee Van is scheduled to read to youngsters as part of a touted municipal effort to “celebrate reading and Pride Month through the glamorous art of drag.” Admission is free.
SHANGHAI DUMPLING SHUTTERS: Sorry to note the closing of the Shanghai Dumpling Shop on Broadway in Millbrae. The restaurant had become a dining fixture for regulars, one of several such Asian options on that downtown street, since the dumpling shop’s debut in 2000.
(5) comments
SMUHSD- Follow the Real Estate Money- If you can find it.
August 2021- Sale price of Crestmoor "drops" from $125 million to $85 million in a matter of weeks... and the SMUHSD refuses comment or public record disclosure.
SMUHSD-Where is the "other" $40 million from the original Crestmoorsale?
Why is there little or no information on this item?
The SMUHSD does not want to the public to know about this "transaction."
SM Daily Journal August 28, 2021
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/crestmoor-housing-deal-derailed-in-san-bruno/article_d2f5b544-07b1-11ec-9515-23a0e59f5e26.html
This item was "caught" in a San Bruno City Council Meeting. The SMUHSD administration did not want the public to know.
The SMUHSD Trustees refuse to comment or respond to public record act requests for the information. The cancelled contract with DR Horton must be reported out from Closed Session.
The Crestmoor property was placed under sale contract to the DR Horton Company in December 2020 for $125 million. The contract was cancelled by the DR Horton Company on July 23, 2021.
-This was never reported to the Trustees or the public
The August 5 and August 12, 2021 Public Agendas continues to list DR Horton as the BUYER of the property, yet the contract was cancelled
On August 26, 2021- The agenda listing was changed as the Crestmoor property was placed under sale contract to the SummerVille Homes for $85 million
-A $40 million price reduction- same 40 acres- but at a “discount price”
SMUHSD-Archived Agendas
https://agendaonline.net/public/Agency.aspx?PublicAgencyID=126&AgencyTypeID=1
Questions:
1. Why a $40 million price reduction in a matter of weeks? ($1 million per acre)
2. Why did the SMUHSD Trustees CONTINUE to LIST DR Horton as the $125 million BUYER for the entire MONTH of AUGUST 2021 when the contract was cancelled on July 23, 2021? (Ethics?)
Answer-
Skelly’s Contract extension took place on August 12, 2021 where Skelly was "given" $329,000 per year contract extension. (Trustees knew NOTHING about the Crestmoor debacle and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing investigation of the SMUHSD and specifically, its superintendents.. but gave Skelly a big raise and also attacked the CTC in the media)
Once Superintendent Skelly had a new contract and job security, the "new" $85 million contract was announced on August 26, 2021 .... with NO mention of the "lost" $125 million contract.
How does a 40 acre Bay Area property "lose" $40 million in value in a matter or weeks?
How did this issue come to light?
(SM Daily Journal-Aug 28, 2021-link above)
A previously reported deal to sell the site of the former Crestmoor High School campus in San Bruno to a developer to build housing has been scrapped, leaving uncertainty about the site’s future and officials eyeing a deal with a new buyer.The 40 acres at 300 Piedmont Ave., owned by the San Mateo Union High School District, was previously slated to be sold to developer J.R. Horton with a plan to build between 120 and 200 single-family homes. But according to a presentation during the San Bruno City Council’s Tuesday meeting, the developer informed the city in July that it was no longer in contract with the school district regarding the purchase of the property.
San Bruno Board Meeting with SMUHSD-DR Horton contract cancellation cited-July 2021
https://youtu.be/hVmtKPHpxc4?si=EXYq_2hQXgK5WWGe&t=1936)
Mr. Horgan, thanks for another eclectic column and for the data on per child spending. What would be more interesting is ranking the per child expenditures with student achievement scores. Does per student spending correlate with higher achievement scores? As for draq queen readings in SSF, do drag queens read more eloquently than other readers, say drag kings or drag princes or princesses, or furries? Why the discrimination? As for Shanghai Dumpling, any word on why they closed? Economic conditions forced on them by Millbrae or the state? Or is Shanghai Dumpling moving to another city?
Does per student spending correlate with higher achievement scores?
Absolutely not. Looks like Ravenswood spends double per student what Burlingame does, with 18% reading proficiency and 14% math proficiency to show for it (vs. 75%/70% for Burlingame.) Won't stop the Democrats from continuing to think they can solve social problems by throwing money at them.
The very first question to ask is why we need so many school districts? The curriculums are set by the State for the most part so what incremental value do these individual school districts deliver? So, get rid of them, consolidate, institute a regional approach, and save a fortune in administration cost. Assuming that each superintendent and immediate staff earns $500K per year plus benefits, that alone will save $11 million per year or $1,300 per student. There should be a refocus on student learning instead of catering to superfluous administrations and their pet projects.
Yes. And we need choice as to where our education dollar goes.
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