It’s remarkable when, even in a down economy, that a community that values education can make up where our tax dollars fall short. And thanks to the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, the community raised $500,000 in 2011 which will be matched by the City of Irvine dollar for dollar.
Here’s the press release:
Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) is proud to announce that it has successfully met its goal to raise $500,000 for its 2011 Annual Campaign. When the initial December 31st deadline came, the campaign was at 90% of its goal. IPSF decided to extended the campaign just a few more weeks, believing the community would pull together to raise the remaining $50,000. From families to PTAs to local corporations, the community gave generously and helped IPSF reach their goal.
Dollars raised will be matched through a challenge grant from the City of Irvine and given to the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) for large class-size support in the 2012-2013 school year. These donations will make an impact in the classroom, providing smaller group instruction in elementary schools and reducing class sizes in targeted areas in our middle and high schools.
And while IPSF is very happy with the success of this campaign, they feel they must continue their efforts year-round to ensure that IUSD students receive a world-class education that includes not only support for larger classes, but also music instruction, science, technology and enrichment programming. “With the new year comes another opportunity for us to raise $1 million in matching funds from the City of Irvine. We will keep working hard to maintain the excellence of our local schools, and we hope that we can count on the community’s continued support,” said Neda Zaengle, CEO of IPSF.
About Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF):
IPSF is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to excellence in all Irvine public schools. Our mission is to help ensure that every child, in every school, has the opportunities and resources to succeed and become their absolute best, benefiting them and the entire Irvine community. We achieve this by providing financial support and enrichment programs for the students of the IUSD. For more information, visit our website at www.ipsf.net .
Irvine has one of the best districts in the state when it comes to results and test scores. And the district is also one of the lowest funded per pupil because Irvine is still classified as a “rural” community in spite of the fact the city has the third largest population behind Anaheim and Santa Ana.
And the value taxpayers place on education is evident in support for Governor Brown’s new plans for schools. From this recent LA Times article:
Gov. Jerry Brown has California voters right where he wants them — hating the notion of whacking schools even more than the prospect of paying a higher sales tax.
Meanwhile, ingrained American populism is flaring as the inequity gap widens between haves and have-nots. So voters absolutely love the idea of socking the rich with higher income taxes.
Total it all up, and the result is 68% support among likely voters for Brown’s proposed November ballot initiative to raise taxes on sales and high-end income, and spend the money on K-12 schools and community colleges.
That’s the key finding of a statewide poll just released by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.
“It’s all tied together in a delicate balance,” notes Mark Baldassare, the policy institute’s president and pollster.
Brown’s plan to wallop the well off — individuals earning $250,000, couples making $500,000 — pleases the middle class. Raising the sales tax, the governor hopes, will neutralize the business lobby, which mostly fears higher levies on specific industries, such as oil.
Threatening schools with nearly $5 billion in cuts if the tax hike isn’t approved — a threat that apparently isn’t idle — seems to worry almost everyone.
Based on the poll, 75% of voters oppose slashing schools — more than the 64% who object to raising the sales tax. Squeezing more taxes from the wealthy is favored by 68%.
Republicans opposing all taxes and placing good public schools at rish are cutting off their noses to spite their face; a quality work force is the foundation of a solid economy. Education is really an investment in innovation, ideas and creativity — not just a cost. Nice to see voters feel the way they do.