2026 Parcel Tax
2026 Parcel Tax: Protecting Our Tradition of Excellence -
A Future Worth Protecting
San Carlos School District (SCSD) is proud of our long-standing tradition of excellence. For decades, our exceptional teachers, small neighborhood schools, strong community partnerships, and vibrant STEAM programs have prepared generations of San Carlos children for success in high school, college, and beyond. We serve nearly 3,000 students every day.
As inadequate state funding and the expiration of our current parcel tax create new challenges, the District is evaluating whether to ask the community to renew or increase this critical local funding to sustain the programs that make SCSD exceptional.
The Need
San Carlos is a desirable place to live, and enrollment in our schools is increasing. San Carlos students have won state-level awards in music, debate, math, writing, and more. That strong performance is a major reason families choose to live here. A key driver of this success is the quality of our teachers.
But the cost of living has surged, and the community supported parcel tax established five years ago to fund teacher positions has stayed flat. As a result, it now funds 25% fewer teachers today than it originally did.
Our Proposal
You recently told us that retaining and attracting high-quality teachers is the #1 priority for the district (source: Survey). To do that, we must close the budget gap — and the best way to do this is to renew Measure N with a modest increase. But the cost of living has surged, and the community supported parcel tax established five years ago to fund teacher positions has stayed flat. As a result, it now funds 25% fewer teachers today than it originally did. Every penny from this potential measure must stay in the San Carlos School District to fund a well-rounded education for students. No funds can be taken away by the State or diverted to other school districts.
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April 2, 2026 School Board Places Parcel Tax Measure on the Ballot
The San Carlos School District (SCSD) School Board voted unanimously on April 2, 2026 to place a parcel tax measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot. The measure would authorize a local tax to provide funding for district schools.
How the Funds Would Be Used
The new parcel tax will help the District address a structural mismatch between flattening revenues and increasing expenses. The District is also working to address this funding challenge through fiscal discipline, cost-cutting, and long-term, multi-year planning to ensure the sustainability of the District’s excellent educational programs.
Key Components Include:
- Protecting outstanding educational programs and attracting and retaining high-quality teachers
- Rate set at $489 per parcel, providing $4.4M to SCSD schools
- Inclusion of an annual cost-of-living adjustment
- A requirement to establish an independent oversight committee to monitor expenditures of the proceeds and ensure funds stay local
- Continued exemption from the tax for property owners 65 and older
- The measure is estimated to generate approximately $12.2 million annually in locally controlled funding. According to the resolution adopted by the School Board, funds would be used for teacher retention, core academic programs such as science, music, and art, and classroom instruction.
Exemptions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this process all about?
Due to years of inadequate state funding and the expiration of our existing community supported parcel tax, the District is assessing our instruction and academic programs to determine whether to ask voters to renew and increase our existing parcel tax Measure N. We work hard to maintain the high-quality education provided at our TK-8 schools, serving nearly 3,000 students every day. Exceptional teachers, and challenging instructional programs have prepared generations of local children to succeed in high school, college, and careers. Securing additional stable local funding is needed to continue that proud tradition.
What happens if Measure N is not renewed?
Without extending Measure N, some existing local school funding, about $3 million dollars, will disappear from the SCSD budget. Our local TK-8 schools will have to make drastic cuts to academic programs, increase class sizes, and maintain only basics. SCSD depends on local revenue to supplement limited State funding.
Doesn’t SCEF give money for our teachers and programs? What does SCEF fund?
The San Carlos Education Foundation (SCEF) is a non-profit organization that helps the San Carlos School District provide a well-rounded public education for all students. SCEF raises essential funds from parents and community partners for electives like band and orchestra. The parcel tax and the contributions from SCEF together help to maintain small class sizes, as well as providing funding for challenging instructional programs and enrichment programs like the arts and music for our local elementary and middle schools. San Carlos School District relies on both.
How do I know the money will be spent properly? Any potential parcel tax approved by voters will REQUIRE taxpayer protections.
All funds raised would stay local to support San Carlos School District instructional programs/ teachers and cannot be taken by the State or spent on administrators’ salaries. An independent parcel tax committee and annual audits are reported to the School Board to ensure use of funds as promised.
I’m a senior citizen; do I have to pay the tax? Senior citizen resident homeowners 65 years or older are eligible for an exemption through a simple application process. Those with an existing exemption do not need to re-apply. We do not want this measure to become a burden to those living on a fixed income. To find out more about how to apply, please contact Lisa Ceragioli at: Email: [email protected] Phone: (650) 590-5927
How much will the parcel tax measure cost?
The SCSD Board voted to place a school parcel tax measure before voters on the November 2026 ballot to extend Measure N, with a modest increase and annual cost-of-living adjustments so that we can protect this critical local funding source and continue to maintain the high quality of education offered in San Carlos School District schools. Pending voter approval, the cost to local property owners could be $40.75 a month or $489 a year. State funding alone is unable to provide SCSD with sufficient funds to maintain the district’s high-quality education.
Will renewing Measure N address all SCSD funding needs? Renewing Measure N will provide a stable, locally controlled funding stream that the state cannot take away, which will protect our high-quality educational programs and protect our teachers. However, parcel tax measures usually raise only a limited amount of money compared to the rising costs districts face each year. To maintain the highest level of education that our students deserve, continued investment is needed. A parcel tax will help the SCSD to replace the reduced or non-existent state funding and maintain the high quality of education at all SCSD schools. Teaching and learning benefit by maintaining these programs. The renewal and modest increase of Measure N won’t address all funding needs, but it will help retain exceptional teachers and staff, and will also protect core programs.
How will this effort improve instruction and retain high-quality teachers?
The increasing cost of living has meant that existing funding for teacher pay doesn’t go as far as it once did. Stable local funding is needed to support additional teacher positions due to increasing enrollment. Without this funding, we will have to make cuts to academics and/or increase class sizes in our local schools. A parcel tax will allow us to bridge the gap of our low state funding and maintain the high-quality of education at all San Carlos SD schools.
What are SCSD’s most critical program support NEEDS?
- Retaining and attracting highly qualified teachers.
- Providing hands-on science, math, technology, art, and engineering programs.
- Protecting high-quality educational programs, including reading and writing.
- Supporting students with disabilities and learning differences.
- Maintaining small class sizes, and low student-to-teacher ratios.
- Continuing funding for counselors and mental health support.
- Preventing overcrowding due to increasing enrollment.
Where can I find more information? To learn more or to share your input, contact Dr. Jennifer Frentress, SCSD Superintendent at: Email: [email protected] Phone: (650) 590-5926
Questions & Answers As of October 20, 2025
