San Mateo County public schools receive major support

Basically, the email writer, who identified himself as a local public high school teacher but did not want his name mentioned in print, indicated that such a negative spin was a cheap shot and worthy of better perspective.

He had a point. By all accounts, public schools in San Mateo County are receiving overwhelming support from their constituents. Which means that, for the most part, the citizenry believes the schools are doing a pretty sound job, regardless of any issues (concerning test scores, low achievement among some ethnic/socioeconomic groups, etc.) that may impact some of them.

How do we know this? We can find at least some firm proof involving how willing so many Peninsula voters are to open their wallets to finance public education, kindergarten through grade 12, here. After all, money talks.

The numbers for the county’s 23 public school district are revealing. But it takes some digging. Using data provided by the state’s Department of Education, the results are illuminating.

• In the decade just prior to the start of the current academic year, local districts attempted to pass 27 parcel taxes (requiring a two-thirds voting majority for approval); 23 of them were given the OK by the citizenry.

• During that same decade, 35 construction bond packages were put to the voters; 33 of them were approved (32 with a 55% voter approval threshold).

• The total dollar amount of those 33 approved bond measures was just over $3 billion. Add the cost of interest and fees over the course of paying for those bonds and the true total rises to about $6 billion.

• With the considerable help of rising property values and the generosity of the taxpayers (and, in some cases, outright donations), the districts spent almost $1.3 billion educating (with 5,100 teachers) their 90,000 students in 2020-21, according to the state’s figures. The countywide average cost per pupil was $14,400.

By any measure, the bulk of the county’s populace is willing to back public education in concrete terms, that is, with its own money.

Three excellent examples of this continuing affirmation occurred recently; they were too late to be included in the statistics cited above.

The Sequoia Union High School District, South San Francisco Unified School District and Redwood City School District were the beneficiaries of November voter-approved bond measures that, when combined, amounted to a staggering $1.35 billion. When interest payments and fees are included, the long-term total will be nearly double that number, or almost $2.7 billion. All three bond efforts generated a yes vote of at least 60%.

So the beat goes on. Public education in the county may not be perfect. But, by and large, it still receives a thumbs-up when it comes time to finance it.

SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOLS COSTLIER: To the north of San Mateo County, the San Francisco Unified School District educated 59,500 youngsters (census day enrollment) in kindergarten through grade 12 in 2020-21, according to the state’s census day statistics provided on its website.

The district employed 4,000 teachers during that academic year. Its operating budget was $908 million. The expense per pupil was $15,370.

Using the San Francisco district as a measuring stick, San Mateo County’s 23-district average expenditure price tag of $14,400 per child seems reasonable.

A NUTCRACKER IN SOUTH CITY: A community-focused holiday Nutcracker will be presented by the South San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department’s Civic Ballet this weekend. Presentations at South San Francisco High School are set for Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. For tickets and information contact the department at (650) 829-3800.

You can get in touch with John Horgan by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com.