In the fight for public education, securing stable funding is absolutely essential. Proposition 55, approved by voters in 2016 but set to expire in 2030, generates almost $15 billion annually for California schools and community colleges.

ASTA brought together other locals, six superintendents and student leaders in coalition to fight for Prop. 55’s permanent extension.

Our locals successfully gathered signatures to help qualify a permanent extension to Prop. 55 on the November ballot. Now we must work to pass it. Without an extension, schools and community colleges will be hit with an immediate 15% cut in funding; one in six of our colleagues will lose their jobs.

Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association (ASTA) is focusing on coalition-building that can power not only Prop. 55 extension efforts, but longer- term support for public education.

Geoff Morganstern

“A lot of Orange County locals have good relationships with their school districts, and coming together around Prop. 55 is a way to strengthen those bonds,” said ASTA President Geoff Morganstern. “We’re in a political landscape where we have to work together to save public education and that means putting our differences aside to do what’s best for students.”

Leaning into the same principles that guide their trailblazing community schools work, ASTA is bringing together other locals, students, school districts and community. The coalition first met at a joint education/training around the Prop. 55 permanent extension campaign in January, with the presidents of six CTA locals, student leaders from area school districts and superintendents. Co-hosted with Anaheim Elementary Education Association, the event was a huge success, said Morganstern.

“We had six superintendents in that room who now understand the issue surrounding Prop. 55 and why we need to do something together about it. This fight is something that everyone can come together around.”

Coalition chapter presidents and their superintendents will visit local State Senate and Assembly members at their offices in April and May to share the need for continued and increased funding for public education.

“The experience of engaging our community at open houses, LCAP meetings, school board meetings and community events taught us important lessons in approaching our community to help pave the way for a successful get-out-the-vote effort this fall,” Morganstern said.

“We were also able to present at a local CTA-Aspiring Educators meeting and worked closely with our Anaheim CSEA chapter to coordinate site visits. This approach has seen organic leaders within ASTA and our community spring up who want to help secure the resources students and schools deserve. As a core We Can’t Wait local, we were able to make the connection with our members about the need to renew Prop. 55 to ensure that our WCW wins will continue to be funded with state revenue.”

ASTA is also working with aspiring educators from nearby Santa Ana Community
College to inform them about Prop. 55 and to engage, mentor and help educate them about the union. The local awards 10 $1,000 scholarships annually to Anaheim students who want to become educators, with the goal of graduating students who have strong union values from the moment they earn their credentials. Modeling how shared governance looks, ASTA invited the Anaheim Union High Community Schools Steering Committee to make the scholarship selections this year.

“It’s powerful to educate and engage aspiring educators,” Morganstern says. “This is part of a long-term goal: What can we do now, but also what can we do in the future?”