FAQs
What is SchoolForce?
SchoolForce, the Belmont-Redwood Shores Public Schools Foundation, was formed in 2001 when the school district was facing drastic budget cuts. The SchoolForce board is composed of parent volunteers representing all schools in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School district.
I pay a lot in property taxes already. Aren’t our local schools already well-funded?
Let’s demystify one of the most frequently asked questions out there: we pay property tax already so why do we still need to donate to support our schools?
In California, 52% of our annual property tax bill goes to support all levels of education, from TK-12 through community colleges and universities, including UCs and CSUs. For example, on a property tax bill for a home purchased at $1 million, the owner would pay 1.1% in property tax, totaling $11,000 annually. Of that, $5,720 is allocated to education. However, only around $2,500 of this amount goes to BRSSD. By comparison, the cost to educate a student in the award-winning BRSSD district is over $13,000 per student per year.
Why do public schools need private funding?
While California ranks 10th in the nation for per-capita tax revenue, it ranks 40th in per-student funding. States across the U.S. have different models for education funding, with the national average at $15,633 per student. Unlike many states where public funding is sufficient to cover the costs of a comprehensive, enriched primary education, California has some of the lowest per-student funding rates in the country. In comparison, New York spends approximately $23,091 per student.
Parent donation dollars provide the financial resources to create a rich and inspiring education for our children beyond what is possible with public funds. A donation is an investment in your child’s education yielding a robust academic experience!
BRSSD parents are fortunate to have a strong local education foundation in place to help increase the amount of funding per student and maintain an academic experience comparable with nearby competitive public and private schools.
How do SchoolForce and PTAs support students?
Your donation to SchoolForce allows the school district to hire additional educators, staff, and programs important for a well-rounded education. Past grants have provided supplemental funds for librarians, school counselors, music teachers, science teachers & materials, art, in-class technology, physical education programs, professional development and more.
Your donation to SchoolForce also funds your school’s PTA (Parent-Teacher Association). The core mission of the PTA is community-building, legislative advocacy, parent education, and classroom and teacher support. Funds granted to each PTA by SchoolForce are managed by PTA volunteers for family (community building) events, classroom supplies, teacher appreciation, assemblies and culturally enriching programs.
We encourage parents to donate to SchoolForce, join your school PTA, and volunteer with one of the organizations. Both are run by volunteers and are vital to your student’s education.
Why is the recommended donation $2000?
SchoolForce is a crucial and reliable part of the district’s annual budget; parent donation dollars represent almost 7% of the school district’s annual budget. The ask of $2000 is necessary to maintain the level of staff and programs as well as site specific support.
It is important to note that the asked amount is the same, or less than, neighboring school districts that serve as the district benchmark. San Carlos and Burlingame school districts provide similar resources through their education foundations, so their asks are comparable and even higher per 2024/25 data.
For families that cannot give at the ask, we welcome all donations at all levels – participation by the highest number of families is an important part of building community. And to families that can afford to be even more generous, we appreciate your commitment to quality public schools.
What is the difference between Parcel Tax / Bond / Education Foundation?
Education Foundation
SchoolForce came to be because of a failed parcel tax in 1998. The parcel tax asked voters to support a $333 tax, which was needed to sustain many programs that the state no longer funded. Due to the failure to pass this tax, BRSSD shifted its parcel tax strategy from asking for what is needed to fully fund schools, to promoting a tax amount that is able to pass, which is a fraction of the need. Today, as we enter the 2024/25 school year, the parcel tax that the community supports is $292.
Belmont-Redwood Shores is not the only school district that has an education foundation to supplement its district’s annual budget. In San Mateo County, 22 out of the 23 school districts have active, robust education foundations. Of the neighboring school districts BRSSD compares itself to in terms of wages, benefits and test scores: San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF) has an ask of $2000 and raises $3.7M annually to support 2950 students (about 1000 fewer students than BRSSD); Burlingame Community Fund (BCE) raises $2.8M plus PTA contributions of $500,000 annually with a $2000 ask plus a PTA ask. Burlingame has about the same number of students as BRSSD, at around 3900.
Bond = B= Buildings, needs 55% of the voting population to approve to pass.
Bond Measures fund facilities and infrastructure. The dollars raised are used to pay for the modernization and upkeep of the buildings on BRSSD school campuses. New roofs, upgraded WiFi, updated play structures, modernizing and securing classrooms, implementation of the district’s facilities master plan are costly endeavors. School districts must seek bonds to keep our schools safe places to learn.
Parcel = P = People/Programs, needs 66.67% of the voting population to approve to pass.
Parcel taxes allow the district budget to be supplemented and locally controlled. This tax needs a super majority to be passed by a community, which is often very difficult to do. As noted in the Education Foundation section, many communities including Belmont-Redwood Shores, have to adopt a “what can pass” strategy versus “what we need,” to fully fund our budget strategy so the greater community will support this additional tax. Education Foundation and parcel taxes are both needed to fill the funding gap of what is provided and what is needed to educate a child.
Why don’t I have to buy school supplies before school starts?
The BRSSD supplies materials, and tools needed in the classroom. Your donations to SchoolForce supplement district funds so that student supplies are provided. In addition, your donation includes an allocation to the site PTA which provides a grant to every classroom teacher. Also, all staff can apply for additional supplemental funds through the Michelle Green SchoolForce Innovation Grant Program.
Why should I donate to SchoolForce?
Everyone decides their own priorities when it comes to charitable giving to nonprofits, and SchoolForce hopes donors will stay close to home. The simple fact is that the State of California is not currently supporting education at a level that will provide the education we expect for Belmont-Redwood Shores students. The Belmont-Redwood Shores Community values education, believes in Belmont-Redwood Shores students, and has made SchoolForce a philanthropic priority for over two decades. An investment in SchoolForce is an investment in Belmont-Redwood Shores kids and our community; not only helping our schools to provide rigorous opportunities, but also keeping housing values high in our community.
These donations are what keep our schools competitive with those in comparable nearby districts. In our neighboring school districts, resources are provided by their education foundations, which allow for a well-rounded academic experience in their schools for every student. Additionally, high quality teachers are attracted and retained by these resources. Strong teachers impact students’ educational trajectory. In order to have experienced, high quality staff, we must provide similar resources so the staff and students thrive.
What amount should I give? Does my donation benefit my student?
Since 2020, PTAs and SchoolForce have partnered to ensure ALL school site needs are met by parent dollars. The “ask” from parents is $2000 for each student. These dollars allow for classrooms to have supplies, additional staff including counselors and, librarians, community building, art and music. Most importantly, parent donations result in hundreds of thousands of dollars being invested in your school so your student has the academic opportunities that are comparable or better than neighboring school districts.
Our schools are award winning educational institutions where rigor, resources and opportunity abound for our students and we are grateful for the parents that invest every year so all BRSSD schools and students can reach their full potential.
In helping you determine that amount, you may want to consider that California spends $3,000 less per child than the national average. This shortfall is offset by local funding sources such as Belmont-Redwood Shores parcel taxes, bond measures, and the SchoolForce grant. For your reference, neighboring school districts with Academic Performance Index (API) scores similar to, or higher than, BRSSD have the following suggested donations per child by their school foundations: San Carlos, $2000; Burlingame $2000 plus $250 PTA ask; Menlo Park, $2,000; Hillsborough, $2,700.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes, donations are 100% tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. SchoolForce, the Belmont-Redwood Shores Public Schools Foundation, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (tax ID 91-2159650).
How do I stop, increase or decrease my recurring donation / monthly giving amount?
We will charge your payment method at the frequency you request when initiating your donation. The payments will continue until you choose to stop them. To to view, increase, decrease or stop your recurring donation login to your account. On the dashboard, you’ll see a “Recurring Transactions” section.
