About Public Education - THE Foundation - Together Helping Education

Together Helping Education

for the Las Virgenes Schools

Understanding Public Education

How it works and what we can do to close the gap

Why Public Education Needs Us

What happened to public schools?

The 1970s happened.
A wave of legislation known as The Tax Revolt shifted control of school funding away from local communities and into the hands of Sacramento. Since then, California has consistently ranked near the bottom nationally in per-student funding—and our once world-class public schools have struggled to keep up.

As budgets were cut, we lost more than just money:

Teachers were laid off
Libraries closed
School nurses disappeared
Arts and enrichment programs vanished

That’s when parents took action.

Across the state, families formed education foundations—community-driven nonprofits dedicated to restoring the opportunities our public schools could no longer afford on their own. The Foundation for the Las Virgenes Schools is part of that movement.

public education

We Wish It Weren’t Necessary — But It Is

If we had a choice, we’d let the state fully fund our schools. But we don’t.

The truth is: without additional support, our students get only the bare minimum.
And that’s not good enough—for your child, our child, or any child.

We believe every student deserves a well-rounded, well-resourced education—one that prepares them not just for tests, but for college, careers, and life.

Join Us

It’s a big task, but we can do it—together.
Let’s build the kind of schools our kids—and our community—deserve.

Understanding School Funding

How it works—and why it doesn’t.

California funds public schools very differently from most other states. In most places, local cities and counties can raise money through taxes to support their schools. But in California, school funding is controlled entirely by the state legislature.

Each year, the state determines a fixed amount per student, regardless of local needs or cost of living—and that’s it. As a result, California ranks 47th in the nation in per-student funding. The most well-funded states spend up to three times more per student than we do.

Why 2013’s Reform Didn’t Help Our District

In 2013, California introduced a new funding model meant to provide additional support to students with greater needs—such as English Language Learners and students from low-income families. While this goal is admirable, it has unintended consequences for high-performing districts like LVUSD.

Because our student population doesn’t meet these criteria in large numbers, we receive little to no additional state funding, yet still face the same rising costs as any other district.

Limited and Unstable Revenue

Thanks to Proposition 13 (passed in 1978), local school funding no longer comes primarily from property taxes. Instead, it depends on state income, sales, and special taxes—all of which are volatile and vary year to year.

Even with measures like Proposition 98, which aimed to regulate funding levels, schools still face a rollercoaster of “feast or famine” budgeting. This makes long-term planning and stability incredibly difficult for districts.

Learn more at www.edsource.org

How Communities Like Ours Have Responded

In light of these ongoing funding challenges, communities across California have created local education foundations to raise the money public schools can no longer count on from the state. These foundations—like ours—work to close the gap and invest in programs that would otherwise be cut.

Some of the most successful examples include: La Cañada, Palos Verdes, Santa Monica-Malibu, Manhattan Beach.

These communities have seen measurable improvements in school quality and reputation—thanks to consistent foundation support.

Benefits

When our schools have the resources they need, students thrive. The Foundation’s support leads to tangible benefits in the classroom and beyond—from smaller class sizes and expanded STEAM programs to improved mental health support and enrichment opportunities. These enhancements don’t just elevate academics—they shape well-rounded, confident, and future-ready students.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Foundation for Las Virgenes Schools do?

The Foundation for Las Virgenes Schools raises money to improve and enhance education in the Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD). The Foundation helps fill the gap between what the state provides the district and what it costs to provide a well-rounded, quality education for students. The Foundation for Las Virgenes Schools is the only organization that can pay for credentialed classroom teachers and counselors. Since 2012, The Foundation has granted Las Virgenes Schools over 1 million dollars.

Should I give to The Foundation if I already give to the PFA or PFC at my child’s school?

PFAs/PFCs and The Foundation work together to fund the spending gap between what the state gives the LVUSD and what is actually needed to educate each child in the district. PFAs/PFCs often pay for materials, resources and specialists at each school site. They cannot pay for credentialed classroom teachers or counselor salaries. Only The Foundation can fund classroom teachers and counselors. The Foundation can help the district maintain small class sizes.

Who decides how donations are spent?

The Foundation works collaboratively with district leaders, school principals, and the Board of Education to come up with funding priorities. We focus on trying to make an impact on all the students in the district. Funding is based on school site needs as well as enrollment.

How much money will my child’s school receive from The Foundation?

We do not write checks to the individual school sites. We make one grant to the district and we advocate for hiring more classroom teachers and guidance counselors at every school site. Parents will see the benefit of their donations in the additional staffing that their child’s school receives.

Who runs The Foundation?

The Foundation is guided by an all-volunteer Board of Directors comprised of parents and community members, all of whom are deeply committed to preserving the quality of our public education. The Foundation’s leadership draws upon the energies and talents of its individual members while responding to the expressed needs of our schools and the community. Get to know our Board by clicking

How does The Foundation raise money?

Annual Appeal – The Foundation asks for your donation mid-school year.
Matching Funds Program – Many companies also contribute to The Foundation through their matching funds program. Please check with your employer to see if they offer such a program.
Corporate/Business Partners Program – The Foundation has a business sponsorship program what reaches out to small and large businesses in the area to encourage them to invest in the Las Virgenes School District.
Fundraisers -“The Event” is our annual gala that unites local businsess, civic leaders, community members and parents with the goal of supporting our schools. For more information click here.

Should I give to The Foundation if I do not have children in the schools?

There is a direct link between high property values and a high-performing, well-funded school district. People move to our community for the excellence of our public schools and they are willing to pay more to live here. Even without children in the Las Virgenes schools, homeowners benefit. It is in the collective best interest of our community to support The Foundation.

How much money does the district receive from the state?

The amount of money our district receives from the state has decreased substantially over the years. Since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, which reduced revenue available for education funding, most of the revenue for school funding comes from business and personal income taxes, and some special taxes, not property taxes. Local property taxes amount to 23% of all school funding in the state. And because school funding comes from fluctuating sources of revenue, school budgeting is especially difficult. The Foundation is looking to raise the funds on a sustainable and consistent basis so that what happens in Sacramento becomes inconsequential to LVUSD’s annual operating budget.

Isn’t the parcel tax suppose to pay for schools?

The parcel tax designated for schools does stay local but it’s much less than what is need to keep our schools among the best. The parcel tax for Las Virgenes is $95 and is set to expire at the end of 2027. Other high performing districts have parcel taxes ranging from $382 to $800- that’s 4-8 times as much as our parcel tax.

How can I get involved with The Foundation?

There are numerous ways to get involved! The Foundation is dependent upon those who give their time and money generously. We hope that you, your family or business, will join us this year by attending The Event, volunteering or helping us to cultivate new fundraisers and relationships. You do not need to be on our Board of Directors to get involved. Please click here for more information.

To Our Donors

Your gift helps close the gap between public funding and what our students truly need.

On behalf of THE Foundation for Las Virgenes Schools, Together Helping Education, thank you to every parent, business leader, and community member who supported THE Foundation during the 2023-2024 academic year. We experienced the largest attendance ever at THE Carnival, played poker under the stars at THE Poker Night, rocked out to THE Battle of the Bands and celebrated our district at THE Event. Our events united our community and raised funds to directly benefit our students.