New school fundraising group put to the test New school fundraising group put to the test (May 28, 2003)

Budget cuts challenge organization born out of bitter dispute

by Rachel Metz

Some might call Matt Passell and Louise Valente the fundraising masons of the Palo Alto Unified School District.

Passell and Valente -- co-chairs of the new All Schools Fund, or ASF -- have their work cut out for them as they strive to fill in cracks in the district's fractured budget.

ASF emerges on the scene at a time as the district trims more than $3.5 million from its coffers, forcing the district to depend more on parent and community contributions. While the community seems to be embracing ASF, its genesis is the result of a bitter feud between the district, which changed its fundraising rules a year ago, and parents. Previously, schools could add extra positions such as classroom aides if PTAs could fund them. The new policy pools donations from each of the district's schools and then redistributes them equitably. "People care a lot about schools. Every time you do something like this ... you'll get a lot of opinions. And that's a good thing," Passell said. Starting in 2004 ASF will begin distributing the money to district schools. ASF will collect funds centrally for schools' short-term and ongoing needs, unlike the Palo Alto Foundation for Education (PAFE) and individual schools' PTAs, which raise funds for long-term and non-staff projects. Funding will be allotted in proportion to a school's enrollment, and unlike many other fundraising efforts currently in place in PAUSD, money granted through ASF can be used at an individual school's discretion. ASF board member Geoff Kerr said school principals will have the final say over how to spend the money. Although donors cannot target a specific destination for their money, they can decide if they want it donated at the elementary, middle or high school level. ASF does not yet have non-profit status so donors can give money through an account the group has set up with PAUSD. "The whole idea of the fund is to have it centrally. And to know when you write your check that it will be shared among all students throughout the district," Passell said. Elementary schools may use the money for extra classroom aides and reading specialists, middle schools could put ASF funds toward team teaching programs and high schools might use the money to refresh technology equipment or to support the cost of guidance counselors, Valente said. Jordan Middle School principal, Suzanne Solomon, said district principals are happy with the arrangement. "I think it's providing a ray of optimism for funding, given the situation in the state, and I think there's a commitment in Palo Alto to provide quality education. I think the people with whom I've met (from ASF) have been very responsive to our ideas," Solomon said. When the school board leveled the playing field last year, critics of the plan feared the lack of choice would put a damper on all school donations. Kerr said some people suspected ASF monies would be dictated by the school board, or that funding decisions would be too removed from the actual schools. There was also a perception that only elementary schools would truly benefit from ASF funding, but now locals realize students at all grade levels can reap the benefits of ASF donations, he said. Palo Alto parent Rick Adams lead many parents in opposition to the policy, even setting up a Web site to motivate locals against it. "I thought we could actually educate the school board to the point that they would not adopt the policy and through that fight I've realized that the school board is very determined in its stance that they want this policy in place," Adams said. Adams and many other parents now hope ASF has a successful first fundraising year. Adams said he knows a few parents are still upset about the district's decision to centralize some fundraising, but that the number is declining significantly. "I am wholeheartedly supporting the movement to the All Schools Fund. And given the situation in Sacramento, I do think the movement could work in the district's favor because it's going to allow a vehicle to raise funds outside of just the parents' base," Adams said. On April 30 ASF worked with PAUSD to present a Town Fair at Addison Elementary School, following the city's annual May Fete Parade. "I was pleasantly surprised by the incredible momentum and enthusiasm and support for such a newly-defined organization," Kerr said. The group has been raising seed money during the past year, and every school PTA in Palo Alto also contributed funds. ASF has one representative at each elementary school and two at each middle and high school. The group will be soliciting donations through fundraising events, such as a May 24 show with the Shlepperellas at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, and through mailings to local homes. Many ASF supporters believe even with a sagging economy, Palo Altans will continue to contribute money to the school district. "I think even thought it's a tight economy, polls show people in the state of California put education as one of their top priorities and there's no question Palo Alto puts education as one of its top priorities," Palo Alto School Board President Mandy Lowell said.