The Cupertino Union School District Board of Education will hold a school board advance meeting this Thursday, January 21 at 3pm to discuss the progress of K-8 students in mathematics during distance learning and the proposal of a new education parcel tax.
CUSD staff will present recent data on K-8 student progress and recommendations to help meet student needs via distance learning. The staff report indicates all grade levels have made growth, and student progress is on track with previous years; elementary students in particular are making strong improvement. However, English Language Learners, Hispanic/Latino and Black/African American students require focused support, with diagnostic growth for these subgroups falling below aggregate performance. Students using the personalized learning platform are making stronger diagnostic growth gains.
The Board will also provide an update on school reopening plans, including updated information from the State and Public Health Department.
The Board will also hold a public hearing to discuss placing the Quality Local Schools and Academic Excellence Parcel Tax Measure on the May 2021 ballot. This proposed measure would replace the current Measure A parcel tax expiring after the 2022 tax year. It increases the annual school parcel tax amount from $250 to $398, and will include a waiver option for seniors. The total expected annual revenue from this measure is estimated at $14 million per year for eight years.
The parcel tax is one of the local funding options being examined to “retain our high-quality teachers and staff with competitive compensation, help keep schools open, ensure fiscal solvency, and provide programs to support students’ social and emotional wellness,” according to CUSD. If the parcel tax does not pass, CUSD will be forced to review other proposed remedies including school closures, staff layoffs and salary freezes, creating a new parcel tax based on square footage, or some combination of school closures and tax increases.
The link to the virtual meeting and the public comment form will be available on the District’s website 15 minutes prior to the start. For those who are unable to attend, the virtual meeting will be recorded and posted on the CUSD website within 48 hours of the meeting’s conclusion. A link to the agenda can be found here.