Measure R Renewal
Thanks to highly qualified teachers and challenging academic programs, San Marino Unified School District (SMUSD) provides an excellent and well-rounded education to nearly 3,000 students across four school sites. SMUSD has emerged as the top-performing unified school district in the State based on the most recent California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores. This remarkable achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our students, educators, and the entire SMUSD community.
Maintaining Our Commitment to Education
The State of California only provides enough money for a basic education. For more than three decades, SMUSD has relied upon locally controlled parcel tax funding known as Measure R to help fund our district schools. Measure R provides approximately $1.6 million in annual funding to help retain teachers and counselors, protect art and music programs, and support academic programs in science, technology, and engineering. However, Measure R is set to expire June 30, 2025.
The State of California only provides enough money for a basic education. For more than three decades, SMUSD has relied upon locally controlled parcel tax funding known as Measure R to help fund our district schools. Measure R provides approximately $1.6 million in annual funding to help retain teachers and counselors, protect art and music programs, and support academic programs in science, technology, and engineering. However, Measure R is set to expire June 30, 2025.
Renewing Measure R – Without Increasing Taxes
The Board of Trustees recently voted unanimously to renew Measure R at the current annual rate of $415, on a special election ballot on June 3, 2025. If approved by voters, Measure R funding would continue to be used to:
- Attract and retain qualified local teachers
- Continue providing advanced programs in science, technology, engineering and math
- Provide career technical education for in-demand fields like biotech, health sciences and skilled trades
- Maintain manageable class sizes
Mandatory Fiscal Accountability and Local Control
San Marino Unified School District is committed to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. A renewal measure would continue the strict financial oversight and accountability as the District has always maintained:
- Annual accountability reports available to the community
- Exemptions for seniors (65 and older) would continue to be available
- All funds would be placed in a special account and would remain locally controlled
To learn more about how Measure R funds are spent, and review the accountability reports, please visit here.
As we plan for the future, we welcome input from our families and community members. Please contact Dr. Stephen Choi at [email protected] or by calling (626) 299-7008.
