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Prop 28 funding expands arts instruction at Washington Unified; district reports 3.9 teacher equivalents supported
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Audrey Streak told trustees Prop 28 allocations have allowed Washington Unified to add roughly four staff positions and serve more than 2,500 students across 11 sites; staff explained 80/20 personnel rules and an approved waiver that temporarily increases non‑personnel spending flexibility.
District officials reported progress using California’s Prop 28 funding to expand visual and performing arts (VAPA) instruction across Washington Unified schools and described next steps to make offerings more equitable by site.
Assistant Superintendent Audrey Streak reviewed Prop 28’s core requirements: an ongoing state allocation based on enrollment and socioeconomically disadvantaged percentages, a general rule that 80% of a school’s allocation should be spent on personnel but with waiver options to permit more non‑personnel spending in districts facing staffing or space constraints. Streak said the district applied for and received a waiver for 2023–24 that broadened allowable non‑personnel uses.
Using 2023–24 allocations, Streak reported the district paid for the equivalent of about 3.9 full‑time VAPA teachers and reached more than 2,500 students at 11 school sites. Examples included instrument repairs and purchases, expanded band access at River City High and increased after‑school and in‑class options at elementary and K–8 sites. Streak said schools decide site‑level uses, guided by district direction and community input: "It is going to be up to individual schools to decide what are the local needs for their school community and is it going to be additional field trips or workshops that come into the school."
Board members asked about equity between sites, the difficulty of hiring VAPA specialists and how minutes/cadence of instruction differ by school. Trustees encouraged options such as after‑school programming and culturally relevant offerings (mariachi, dual‑immersion music) to increase participation where daily band classes are not yet feasible. Streak offered to return in January with more detailed school‑level plans and a long‑term vision for filling gaps.
What happens next: District staff will work with sites on hiring, scheduling and use of Prop 28 dollars, and present an update in January on plans and progress. Schools have up to three years to spend each year’s allocation per state guidance.
