Passage of local and state school bonds is a tribute to the efforts of teachers

CTA chapters around the state played an important role in getting more than $20 billion in bonds for schools approved by voters March 2. In addition to helping pass Proposition 55, the state bond measure that will provide $12.3 billion for school construction and repair, teachers helped win approval for approximately $9 billion in local bonds for schools.

Voters statewide approved 47 out of 61 local school bonds and seven out of 20 parcel taxes. Among them, voters passed 19 of the 25 local measures that had received campaign contributions from CTA's political action committee, CTA-ABC.

Several districts were successful in passing parcel taxes, which still require a two-thirds majority of the vote. Unlike school bonds, which can only be used for construction and renovation, parcel taxes may be used on programs like class size reduction or raising teacher salaries.

CTA has long recognized that facilities are a critical need for schools, and fought to pass three state bond measures - Prop. 1A in 1998, Prop. 47 in 2002, and now Prop. 55 - providing more than $34 billion for school construction. A significant victory was the passage of Prop. 39 in 2000, which lowered the threshold of votes required to pass a local bond measure from two-thirds to 55 percent, enabling numerous school districts to pass bonds in their communities.

For one CTA chapter, the Ravenswood Teachers Association, the election victory was especially sweet. The chapter worked hard over the past year to change the school board, elect three new trustees, get rid of a problem superintendent, and then pass a parcel tax. For the impoverished district that has been plagued with a high teacher turnover rate, the new $98-a-parcel tax may be a big help in turning the district around.

"I think it shows that voters support the district and support teachers," says Ravenswood Teachers Association Co-President Martha Hanks.

RTA members worked hard for their win. "We phone banked, we precinct-walked, and, the day of the election, we staffed the polls. It really paid off in the end."

Members of the Armona Teachers Association in Kings County also rolled up their sleeves to pass Measure S, a $2.8 million bond measure that will modernize and build new classrooms for the district that is rapidly outgrowing its facilities.

"This was a very, very big deal," says ATA Co-President Denise Dean. The measure, which passed with a 64 percent majority, was the first attempt in the 18 years she's been in the district.

The chapter had made a pledge at the negotiating table in the fall that it would campaign for and support a bond issue if the contract was settled to their satisfaction. The association's support of the bond has helped pave the way for better relations between the district and the teachers.

"It's good for us, and it's good for the schools," says Dean.

The Moreno Valley Education Association also had a hand in passing its local bond measure, which will provide $50 million to modernize and build new schools.

"We got 67.3 percent of the vote. We are ecstatic," says MVEA President Katherine Underwood. Funding from CTA's political action committee enabled the 1,650-member chapter to buy radio ads to bolster its usual phone banking and get-out-the-vote efforts.

"I definitely think our contribution made the difference in this election," says Underwood.

CTA-ABC funding also made a difference in two efforts to pass community college bond measures. Both Citrus College Faculty Association and the Rio Hondo College Faculty Association were involved in successful bond votes.

"We sent out letters to every CTA member in our district," says Citrus College Faculty Association President Joe Harvey. "It worked. We won by 800 votes. Thank you, CTA."

Dale Martin