We Heard You!

May 2024

Dear Parents and Neighbors:

As we come to the end of another great school year, I want to congratulate our 8th graders who are promoting to high school next fall and look forward to the continued success of all our students.

In addition to acknowledging the hard work of our students and staff, I want to take the time to update you on district efforts to ensure that Anderson Elementary, Baker Elementary, Country Lane Elementary, Easterbrook Discovery, Latimer, Payne Elementary, and Moreland Middle schools continue providing
high-quality, local public education for our students.

During the past few months, we’ve reached out to thousands of people in this process. Many of you provided valuable feedback and suggestions. Thank you!

Your input is now guiding us in finalizing a prudent, responsible, community-responsive plan.

On May 28, I will be sharing with the Board of Trustees our recommended proposal. If the Board chooses to move forward with putting a school parcel tax measure before voters on the November 2024 ballot, that action item will take place at our June 25 Board Meeting.

Thank you again for your participation and support. For more information, please feel free to contact me at: [email protected].

Sincerely,

Dr. Clover Codd

Superintendent

What is the parcel tax all about?

Moreland School District (MSD) has been a caring learning environment for students, parents, staff, and community members since 1851. Moreland serves preschool through 8th grade students across three cities in Santa Clara County. Our teachers educate approximately 4,000 students in four elementary schools, two TK-8 schools and one middle school. Our students are celebrated for their uniqueness and the talents they contribute to our community. Exceptional teachers, small class sizes, challenging instructional programs, dedicated parent volunteers, and outstanding science and art curricula have prepared generations of local children to succeed in high school, college, and careers. Our goal is to continue that proud tradition. However, due to years of State budget cuts and the expiration of our existing community supported parcel tax, the District is assessing our instruction and academic programs to determine whether to renew/ increase our existing parcel tax Measure G.

Why now?

The level of school funding provided by the state of California is one of the lowest in the nation. We rely on local funding to fill in the gap. Fortunately, local voters have generously supported MSD by passing Measure G in 2016 to protect and maintain the local quality of education. Measure G is a parcel tax of $142 per-parcel/year which supports preschool to 8th grade students by attracting and retaining quality teachers, strengthening strong reading along with math and science instruction, maintaining music and art programs, and keeping school libraries open, class sizes small and campuses clean and safe. Measure G, approved for 8 years, will expire after the 2024-2025 school year. Measure G cannot be extended without a new vote of Moreland School District voters.

What happens if Measure G is not renewed?

If Measure G is not renewed, the Moreland School District budget will need to be cut by about $1.5 million. This will force all Moreland schools to make drastic cuts to academic programs, increase class sizes, and maintain only basics. MSD depends on local revenue to supplement limited State funding. Renewing Measure G won’t address all funding needs, but it will help retain exceptional teachers and protect core programs.

How does this potential funding attract and retain high-quality teachers?

We live in one of the most expensive places in the country, but our teachers are among the lowest paid in the area. We need this funding to ensure we’re able to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and keep them from leaving for higher-paying districts.

How do I know the money will be spent properly?

If Measure G is continued by voters, it will continue to REQUIRE strict taxpayer protections. All funds raised stay local to support MSD instructional programs and cannot be taken by the State or spent on administrator salaries. Independent citizen oversight and annual audits ensure the funds are used as promised.

I am a senior citizen. Do I have to pay the tax?

Senior citizen homeowners 65 years or older will continue to be eligible for an exemption through a simple application process. We do not want this measure to become a burden to those living on a fixed income. To find out more about how to apply, please contact Debbi Lyon by phone: (408) 874-2921 or email: [email protected].

How much will the parcel tax measure cost?

NO decisions have been made yet. Moreland School District leaders are seeking YOUR INPUT first, before critical decisions are made. State funding alone is unable to provide MSD with sufficient funds to maintain the district’s high-quality education. Pending voter approval, the cost to local property owners could be $142 a year if a renewal only is sought, OR $182 a year if a renewal with a $40 increase is considered due to the need for increased funds to provide for exceptional teachers, small class sizes, and challenging instructional programs at our local schools.

Where can I find more information?

For more information, visit our website at: www.moreland.org OR contact Clover Codd, Ed.D., Superintendent, by phone: (408) 874-2901 or email: [email protected].

Privacy Policy

We use data collected from our surveys exclusively to reach out to community members, distribute information about the Moreland School District, and solicit feedback. This data includes emails, phone numbers, and addresses collected from our sign-up forms and publicly available sources such as voter registration records. This information is never sold, rented, released, or traded to others without prior consent or legal obligation. Any sharing of information with third parties is solely for the purpose of fulfilling the organization's obligations to the user. Moreland School District guarantees that it will never be shared with third parties for marketing purposes.

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from Moreland School District. Message and data rates may apply, and message frequency varies. To opt out of receiving text messages, simply reply with "STOP" or "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the number that sent you the message. Once we receive your request, you will no longer receive text messages from us.

All collected data is stored in a separate, self-contained database, and access is granted to our internal team on an as-needed basis. Any updates to this privacy policy will be announced via email before any changes are implemented.

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Moreland School District
4711 Campbell Ave. Street Address
San Jose, CA 95130
[email protected]
(408) 874-2900

We Heard You!

Attached Files