FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Why should I donate to fund public education?
California public school funding does not fully cover the teachers, staff, and programs that our community values for LASD students. Like many high-performing school districts across the state, LASD relies on local community fundraising to help close the gap between public funding and the exceptional education families expect and students deserve.
California's school funding system is shaped in part by Proposition 13, which limits property tax increases for longtime homeowners. Because many homes in our community have been owned for decades, property tax revenues are lower than today's home values would suggest. As a result, state and local funding alone is not enough to fully support the educational opportunities our community values.
Strong public schools are one of our community's greatest assets. By supporting LAEF and your school's PTA, you help ensure LASD students continue to benefit from the outstanding teachers, staff, and programs that make our schools exceptional.
For more information:
Learn more about LASD Finances: ABCs of school finance presentation, ABCs of school finance video
Watch the 2-minute video "Funding an Excellent Public Education."
Read the Town Crier article, "It’s pretty interesting: Learn about real estate and school funding in Los Altos.”
Dive deeper into school finance in California, visit Ed 100.
2. Why are instructional fundraising responsibilities shifting from PTA to LAEF this school year (2026-27)?
LAEF and our PTAs have long shared the work of fundraising to ensure our students receive an excellent education beyond what public funding provides.
However, as the number of instructional programs and materials funded by PTAs grew significantly over recent years, the responsibilities among PTAs and LAEF overlapped and were misaligned with each organization’s focus and mission.
LAEF's mission is to close the gap between public funding and the resources needed to provide an excellent education for every LASD student.
Shifting responsibility for all instructional fundraising to LAEF creates a clearer fundraising model for families, provides more consistent support for instructional programs across all schools, and allows PTAs to focus more fully on building community, supporting volunteers, and enriching the student experience.
This transition reflects years of collaboration among LASD, LAEF, and PTA leaders – members of the LASD Education Partners – to create a clearer, more sustainable model that better aligns each organization's mission while continuing to provide students with the high-quality educational experience our community values.
3. How do I know my donation will benefit my school?
LAEF funds teachers, staff, programs, and instructional resources that benefit students across all LASD schools, including your child’s school. Many of these things, such as technology purchases and arts programming, are implemented districtwide to ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality educational experiences. The total cost to educate students at each school exceeds the amount LAEF fundraises at each school, which means your donation will support teachers, programs, and materials at your school.
PTAs will continue to support school-specific enrichment, events, and community priorities at each campus.
