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All California students

deserve fair funding.

But some wealthy communities have far

more funding than state-funded districts.

School quality should't depend
on zip codes - it isn't fair.

Learn more and help us take action

Excess Tax districts (also called "Basic Aid") are a holdover from over 50 years ago, when California school funding was based on local wealth. This scheme was found unconstitutional in the 1970s famous Serrano vs. Priest decisions, creating a national model for fair school funding.

But a loophole was left for the most wealthy districts, giving them more tax dollars - in many cases, a lot more. We need to close this loophole, and create a system where the quality of your child's school does not depend on their zip code.

Even within counites, the funding gaps are huge ... and growing

Santa Clara County
Palo Alto vs.
San Jose

(Excludes local taxes
and donations)

Excess Tax vs. State-Funded Districts

Excess Tax Districts Have

13% Higher Teacher Pay

Over 10% Longer Teacher Experience

Over 10% Lower Class Sizes

State-Funded Districts Serve

76% More Low-Income Students

77% More English Learners

69% More Latino Students

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Have there always been Excess Tax districts? How did this happen?

Before the 1980s, all CA districts were locally funded, and school funding was driven mostly by the wealth of each community. A series of court cases, starting with the well-known Serrano vs. Priest, required the state to equalize funding. Excess Tax districts are a remnant of that earlier era, when the wealth of a community determined the quality of its schools.

Excess Tax vs. State-Funded Districts

Frequently Asked Questions

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