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Statement from California School Boards Association President Chris Ungar on the Passage of Four Education-Related Ballot Measures

SACRAMENTO, Calif., (November 9, 2016) – All four of the 2016 statewide propositions supported by the California School Boards Association (Propositions 51, 55, 56 and 58) were approved by California voters on November 8. Two of these measures are crucial to maintaining current education funding levels and to meeting the state’s school facilities needs.

“CSBA is extremely grateful that California voters have approved Propositions 51 and 55 – both of these measures are critical investments in our state’s schools,” said California School Boards Association President Chris Ungar. “Proposition 55 ensures that as much as $4 billion per year stays in our classrooms and allows us to avoid program cuts and staff layoffs, while Proposition 51 provides the funding necessary to modernize our state’s most outdated classrooms and to address the urgent needs in many communities for new school facilities. Matching funds from the state are critical to the construction and renovation of safe school buildings that promote 21^st Century learning and support the physical, social and emotional health of our students”

“CSBA is also very pleased that voters have approved Propositions 56 and 58,” Ungar said. “Proposition 56  will help prevent our students from becoming addicted to tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and ‘vaping’ and it adds some funding to the Prop 98 guarantee. Proposition 58 provides greater opportunities for all California students to learn a second language that offers social advantages and an enhanced ability to compete in the global economy and also allows local school districts to offer language instruction programs that best meet the needs of their communities.”