The Full and Fair Funding coalition, led by ACSA and the California School Boards Association, has announced the delay of the proposed November 2020 ballot that would generate $15 billion annually to support California K-12 schools and community colleges. The coalition will attempt to qualify the measure for the November 2022 ballot. CSBA Executive Director Vernon Billy said the coalition intended to avoid conflicting with the Schools and Communities First Act (or split roll property tax), another November 2020 measure that already qualified for the ballot.  “After conducting a significant amount of polling and analysis, we have determined that having two measures on the same ballot that — at least in part — provide funding for public schools, risked a scenario where our measure would come up short,” Billy said. ACSA Executive Director Wesley Smith said ACSA and its members did not want to jeopardize either initiative, and in 2020 will instead focus on advocating for additional education funding from the state Legislature.  “We are withdrawing our filing and focusing our efforts on future ballots,” Smith said. “In the meantime, we remain interested in working with the governor and Legislature if there is the will in the state Capitol to deliver fiduciary resources that would allow California educators to better meet the academic, physical, social and emotional needs of California’s 6.2 million students.” If the Full and Fair Funding measure passes in 2022, the additional $15 billion in annual funding would raise per-pupil spending in California to the national average. Currently, California provides approximately $2,500 per student less than the national average on a cost-adjusted basis. As recently as the 1970s, the state’s school funding ranked in the top five in the nation, however California currently ranks 38th nationally for school funding.  CSBA said if the state supported schools at the national average, funding would increase by $2,475 per pupil on a cost-adjusted basis, resulting in an additional $61,875 for a classroom of 25 students and more than $1.2 million in added funding for a school of 500 students. Revenue to fund the measure would be generated by increasing taxes by up to 5 percent on net corporate income over $1 million; increasing personal income taxes by up to 2 percent on taxable income over $1 million and by up to 3 percent on taxable income over $2 million; and implementing strict fiscal accountability and public transparency provisions. ACSA recognizes the need for more education funding beyond current levels and hopes education partners will fully embrace the coalition’s efforts on behalf of all California public school students.