Out of all the high school districts in California, the Acalanes Union School District (AUHSD) is allocated the lowest amount of funding from the government. AUHSD relies heavily on local funding rather than state funding to continue providing exceptional educational opportunities for students. Everything from offering a variety of classes to counseling is made possible by local and government money. 

The funding is received through educational foundations for donations and a local parcel tax, which everyone living in the district must pay. For the past 15 years, the AUHSD parcel tax has been $301, and it currently makes up 10% of the district’s revenue. 

However, since 2010, the parcel tax has not provided sufficient support for the district to continue offering the same variety of programs for students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the district was given funding from the state. 

Although this funding has been sufficient for the past five years, the money is running out but nothing has been cut yet. To combat this decline in funding, the district has decided to instate a new parcel tax called Measure T. This tax will help the district keep its wide variety of class selection and also continue providing high-quality academic and career counseling, wellness centers, and library services. 

Furthermore, it will also allow the district to keep paying its teachers and maintain small class sizes for more in-depth learning. AUHSD is working to pass this proposition as a last effort before the district is forced to cut programs and teachers. The new Measure T parcel tax will add $130 to the current tax, making it roughly $431 annually, with changes each year based on inflation.

The district is opening a ballot for members of the community to vote on whether or not Measure T should pass. Residents looking to vote must mail in their ballots by May 6th, 2025. If passed, all of the money will be split between the five high schools in the district.