strong schools
strong homes
WHY excellence for culver city schools?
As parents and residents who care deeply about our kids and our city, we're inviting you to join us in a community movement to better protect and strengthen our schools for the years ahead.
Declining enrollment, the loss of COVID-era funding, and significant federal education cuts, in addition to unusually high inflation, have combined to create serious financial challenges that threaten the quality of education our students deserve.
That’s why we’re exploring the idea of a local parcel tax - a way for our community to raise stable, locally controlled funding that stays right here in Culver City, supporting our students directly. It’s worked for other California school districts, including Berkeley and Alameda, and we think it can work here too.
what are the challenges?
California School Funding falls short
Despite one of the highest costs of living in the nation, the state spends roughly $18,000 per k-12 student- comparable to Delaware but far below New York’s $33,400 per student.
CCUSD has been facing ongoing financial DEFICITS.
Regular budget deficits have been temporarily masked by one-time COVID relief funds. The district is currently operating with a deficit of $4-5 million, placing all programs, services, and long-term sustainability at risk.
When CCUSD suffers, Culver City suffers.
Every department feels the strain-staff and teacher morale decline, basic classroom needs such as supplies and photocopies are cut back, and larger class sizes limit the quality of instruction. The district risks losing public trust.
CCUSD is the backbone of culver city’s economy - AND IT’S SOMETHING WE CAN’T AFFORD TO LOSE.
These challenges put some families toward private schools, reducing average daily attendance and weakening the sense of community. Over time, the consequences extend beyond the classroom - threatening the district’s long-term stability, community engagement, and even local property values.
KEY BENEFITS OF A LOCAL PARCEL TAX TO CCUSD
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KEY BENEFITS OF A LOCAL PARCEL TAX TO CCUSD *
stable and predictable funding
Unlike state or federal funding, which can fluctuate based on budgets and economic and political conditions, parcel taxes provide consistent, locally controlled revenue. This stability can help CCUSD plan long-term programs and staffing with more confidence.
FLEXIBILITY IN USE, PRIORITIZING SCHOOLS’ NEEDS
Parcel tax funds are locally generated and locally governed, meaning the CCUSD decides how to use them. Potential uses include:
Maintaining or reducing class sizes
Retaining high-quality teachers and staff
Enhancing technology and safety
Supporting art, music, and enrichment programs
Funding extracurricular or special education programs
community investment for our future
Passing a parcel tax that benefits CCUSD can signal that the community values education and is willing to invest in its future. This can strengthen local engagement and even enhance property values, since high-performing schools are a major factor in neighborhood desirability.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We have 180 days - from January 1 through June 28, 2026 - to gather approximately 4,000 signatures from registered voters in culver city. Achieving this goal will allow us to SuBmit a municipal petition to the city of culver city to place a local tax measure on the november 2026 ballot.
SUCCESS STORY
Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD)
BUSD placed Measure H on the ballot for renewal: a special parcel tax at the rate of $0.54 per square foot of improvements, plus $25 per unimproved parcel, for 8 years beginning July 1, 2025.
The measure states that funds will be used for instruction (class size support, teaching/learning), school programs (libraries, visual & performing arts), and student support (counseling, behavioral health).
The district’s page on local bond & tax funding explains that the community supports “much-needed resources to augment the relatively low level of state funding.”
Events
NOVEMBER 13TH, 2026
The Veterans Memorial Building
Culver City, CA
We're inviting you to join us for a community town hall to talk about how we can protect and strengthen our schools for the years ahead.
BE THE CHANGE
ways to get involved 01: volunteer
A+ Culver City 2026 is a grassroots initiative organized by parents and residents who care deeply about the future of our schools and our community. We invite all community members to join us in making a lasting impact on Culver City’s future.
ways to get involved 02: DONATE
We need to raise funds to support our committee, campaign, and possible legal assistance for drafting the resolution. Every contribution-no matter the amount-will be used strategically to ensure the success of our campaign. We sincerely thank you in advance for your generous support.
