Maintaining Excellent Education - Without Increasing Taxes
Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) serves over 6,000 local students from preschool through 12th grade at our eight award winning schools. Student achievement in MBUSD consistently ranks among the best in the State and Nation and is rising. In fact, Mira Costa High School recently ranked in the top 2% of all high schools in the country.
While our local schools are among the best in the State, MBUSD's per-student State funding level is among the lowest of all school districts in California. To supplement inadequate State funding, in 2018 local voters approved Measure MB, a school parcel tax measure that provides approximately $2.5 million in locally controlled funding each year that cannot be taken by the State.
Measure MB Funding Set to Expire
Unless renewed by voters, funding from Measure MB will expire in June 2024 and MBUSD would have to cut approximately $2.5 million from its annual budget. This revenue currently funds over 20 MBUSD teachers, keeping class sizes small and supporting academic programs. Parcel tax revenue and fundraising provide stable local funding that Manhattan Beach schools rely upon.
Renewing Local School Funding Without Increasing Taxes
To maintain local funding and prevent cuts to teachers and classroom instruction, the MBUSD Board of Trustees voted to place Measure MB on the March 5, 2024, ballot to renew the current $225 school parcel tax for six years without increasing the current tax rate.
If approved by local voters, funding from Measure MB would continue to be used to maintain quality education by:
- Attracting and retaining high quality teachers
- Protecting quality math, science, technology, reading, and writing programs
- Maintaining manageable class sizes
- Preparing students for college and careers
Local Control and Fiscal Accountability
Measure MB would continue mandatory local control and fiscal accountability requirements:
- All spending is required to be publicly disclosed
- An independent citizens' oversight committee and annual audits ensure funds are spent as promised
- No funds can be used for administrators' salaries or pensions
- Homeowners age 65 and over and low-income homeowners with disabilities would continue to be eligible for an optional exemption from the cost and do not have to reapply
- Measure MB would not increase tax rates
Share Your Priorities
As MBUSD works to protect locally controlled school funding, we welcome your input. Please complete our community survey at tinyurl.com/MBUSD-Survey to share your priorities for MBUSD schools.
Additional Resources