Irvine Unified School District
IPSF works in collaboration with the Irvine Unified School District to ensure that the needs of our children are met by assigning funds and supporting programs that are no longer funded by the state. Specifically, IPSF grants funds to the district for the teaching professionals needed for staff enrichment programs in reading, math, science, technology and the arts — programs are no longer funded by the state. Because of our close relationship with IUSD, we are able to focus our efforts on the funding needs that will have the most impact on our students.
ABOUT IUSD
Formed in 1972, the Irvine Unified School District has evolved in response to an engaged public search for a vigorous, positive and forward-looking educational system. Irvine schools offer superior instruction at all levels with the widest possible choices for parents and students. The city and the school district have grown rapidly, as have the legislative requirements imposed by Sacramento and Washington, D.C. A highly distinguished and well-ranked district, the Irvine Unified School District has over 33,000 students in 38 schools; nearly 40 percent have a primary language other than English. IUSD schools have earned the label of California Distinguished School 50 times since 1986, and all four comprehensive high schools have been recognized at least once.
SCHOOL FUNDING BASICS
The passage of Prop 13 drastically reduced revenue available for education funding. Property tax revenue in Irvine (and most other cities in the state) is not adequate to fund education. Now, most of the revenue for school funding comes from business and personal income taxes, sales taxes, and some special taxes, rather than property taxes. These funds are centrally allocated from the state using the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). The LCFF does not take into account property tax revenue at all; rather it is designed to redistribute state funding to provide MORE money to districts with high populations of English Language Learners and low-income students. Irvine has a much lower percentage of these students, so Irvine ranks at the very bottom in per pupil funding in the state. California’s per pupil funding ranks as one of the lowest in the United States, so Irvine Unified is also one of the lowest funded districts in the nation.