Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS ONE COMMUNITY LG?
One Community LG is a collaboration between parents, schools, and the greater Los Gatos community to elevate the educational experience for our children beyond the basic state-funded curriculum. This is how we invest in our students and schools.
WHY DO WE NEED TO CONTRIBUTE WHEN OUR PROPERTY TAXES SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS?
Watch this helpful video to understand why property taxes fall short in funding our schools.
Before Prop 13, California school budgets were much higher, but after Prop 13 passed in 1979, those budgets were reduced by nearly 60%. Due to Prop 13, districts like Los Gatos Union School District, which get very little funding from the state (called “Basic Aid” districts), rely on local property taxes, parcel taxes, and parent contributions to make up a good portion of their budget.
To address this shortfall, parents in the community formed One Community LG to improve the quality of local schools. Contributions to One Community LG, along with property taxes and a parcel tax, are crucial to provide the necessary funding for our students' education.
Before Prop 13, California school budgets were much higher, but after Prop 13 passed in 1979, those budgets were reduced by nearly 60%. Due to Prop 13, districts like Los Gatos Union School District, which get very little funding from the state (called “Basic Aid” districts), rely on local property taxes, parcel taxes, and parent contributions to make up a good portion of their budget.
To address this shortfall, parents in the community formed One Community LG to improve the quality of local schools. Contributions to One Community LG, along with property taxes and a parcel tax, are crucial to provide the necessary funding for our students' education.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR OUR STUDENTS OF ALL GROUPS FUNDRAISING TOGETHER?
By using a centralized approach, we make the fundraising process more efficient, ensuring that a larger portion of the contributions directly support student programs and staff. Families can make a single payment for all their children and associated schools, with the contribution then directly allocated to the specific teachers, staff, and programs at those schools. This is not a general fund equally divided across all schools. Multiple successful school districts in California, such as Palo Alto, Piedmont, Menlo Park, and Orinda, are using this centralized fundraising model to raise more funds for their schools.
how is my contribution distributed?
Rest assured, your money goes directly to cover your student at your school. One Community LG has all your student information and guarantees that your contribution is distributed to your Home & School Club and LGEF.
HOW DOES ONE COMMUNITY LG SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS?
The goal of our Strategic Plan and One Community LG is to strengthen our schools. We will do this by adding new staff and equipment in mental health, STEAM, art, and innovation, and providing extensive training for all staff in project based learning strategies. For the 2024-2025 school year, we have Wellness Centers at every campus, STEAM Rooms, and STEAM TOSAs (teachers on special assignment) for every school TK-8, as well as two art teachers for our elementary students and Spanish language instruction for all students TK-5. This is made possible by our investments in our children through One Community LG. To accomplish this goal for all students, our suggested contribution amount is $1,600 per student. As all students benefit, we strive for 100% participation. To learn more about the Strategic Plan, please check out the plan here or visit lgusd.org.
WHAT IS A HOME & SCHOOL CLUB (H&SC)?
Each school in the district has its own H&SC. They are non-profit volunteer organizations (similar to a PTA) that provide services and materials that enrich our students’ education and support our vibrant community of parents, children, teachers, and staff. We all come together to work on programs that benefit your child’s experience at your school.
Not all H&SCs spend money in the same way. Some differences include: a pottery program and lunchtime STEAM Lab at Blossom Hill; collaboration labs and positive play programs at Daves; student curriculum and a STEAM Lab at Van Meter; Life Lab, and the International Baccalaureate program at Lexington; and at Fisher, the H&SC supports software, technology, supplies for general classes, such as heart rate monitors for PE and kits for science, and supplies for elective classes ranging from the Wheel to STEAM to Art. H&SCs provide volunteers and funding to help our schools' teachers and staff focus on educating our children and enriching their learning experience.
Not all H&SCs spend money in the same way. Some differences include: a pottery program and lunchtime STEAM Lab at Blossom Hill; collaboration labs and positive play programs at Daves; student curriculum and a STEAM Lab at Van Meter; Life Lab, and the International Baccalaureate program at Lexington; and at Fisher, the H&SC supports software, technology, supplies for general classes, such as heart rate monitors for PE and kits for science, and supplies for elective classes ranging from the Wheel to STEAM to Art. H&SCs provide volunteers and funding to help our schools' teachers and staff focus on educating our children and enriching their learning experience.
WHAT IS THE LOS GATOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION?
The LGEF is a parent-led non-profit organization that, for the past 41 years, has been raising critical funds to support quality education at the five public schools of the Los Gatos School District: Louis Van Meter, Daves, Blossom Hill, Lexington and RJ Fisher. For the 2023-2024 school year, the LGEF has granted $1,519,000 to the school district to allow the district to fund counselors, teachers, and school specialists for art, music, PE, library, STEAM, Spanish language teachers, plus additional counseling and elective teachers for Middle School students. Since 1982, the LGEF has provided over $20 million to the LGUSD from parent and community contributions. More information on LGEF is available at www.lgef.org.
HOW DOES THIS CHANGE HOW MY H&SC IS RUN OR WHAT IT FUNDS?
It doesn't! One Community LG does not change how the H&SCs or the LGEF are run, what they fund, or their organization, leadership, or mission. The only change is how contributions are received throughout the year. Contributions are allocated to their respective schools and spent just like previous years. Each school and organization has its own personality and funding priorities. Those priorities will continue uninterrupted.
CAN I DONATE ONLY TO MY HOME & SCHOOL CLUB OR LGEF?
Please donate to One Community LG to cover the expenses all groups have to enrich your student’s education.
If you desire to give extra to a particular organization, you can arrange it directly with that entity. The best time to do so is after the One Community LG Fall Fundraising Drive ends on October 2nd.
If you desire to give extra to a particular organization, you can arrange it directly with that entity. The best time to do so is after the One Community LG Fall Fundraising Drive ends on October 2nd.
I thought public schools were funded by taxes. Why is there a need for an education foundation?
In the 1980's, Prop 13 was passed in California, reducing property tax rates on homes and businesses. One negative consequence of this was that the state provided less funding to the schools. Suddenly, school districts couldn't afford all the programs and teachers that we all knew growing up. They had to cut programs. Some of the things to go were art classes, music classes, school nurses and classroom aides. Basically, they had to cut anything that wasn't essential. Parents did not want all these programs to go away so they started creating education foundations. There are education foundations all over all over the state. The purpose of these nonprofit organizations is to raise money from parents, businesses, and other local sources that they then grant to our schools to make up for the budget shortfall. Without our Education Foundation (and our Home & School Clubs), our schools would have to cut programs because there simply isn't enough funding.
Does LGEF have any paid staff?
Yes. LGEF has a full-time Executive Director and a part time Operations Manager. Investing in paid staff provides the continuity and focus required for LGEF to grow, to sustain higher grant levels, and to better serve our schools and our students. Having staff is a best practice; all Bay Area Education Foundations the size of LGEF or larger have paid staff or are in the process of adding them.
Does LGEF raise money from businesses?
Yes. About 20% of LGEF’s donations come from businesses (including matching grants). LGEF always aims to grow business contribution. If you know a business who wants to support our schools contact [email protected] or send them to our business sponsor page. And if you would like to join the volunteer LGEF team that recruits local business support please contact Sonja Tappan, our LGEF Executive Director via [email protected].
