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Board directs $95-per-parcel special education tax to November ballot
Summary
The Sacramento City Unified School District board voted to place a $95-per-parcel special education parcel tax on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot to fund multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) and early interventions; staff estimate initial revenue of about $10 million and legal counsel said the measure requires a two‑thirds vote of the electorate.
The Sacramento City Unified School District board voted to place a proposed special education parcel tax on the November 3, 2026 ballot after a presentation highlighting results from a 10-site MTSS pilot and a legal briefing on the measure’s structure.
District legal counsel Ben Giverser told the board the measure—structured as a special tax—would be $95 per parcel per year, include exemptions for seniors and Social Security recipients, and is projected to generate about $10,000,000 in initial revenue. "This proposed parcel tax needs to be enacted by a 0.667 vote of the people," Giverser said, noting the restriction that revenues must be spent on special education programs and cannot be redirected by the state.
Supporters at the meeting framed the measure as a financial bridge to sustain early interventions shown to improve student outcomes. Jennifer Santos, a principal at a district pilot site, said the MTSS proof-of-concept has reduced chronic absenteeism by 20% at her school and improved reading and math outcomes. "We can't afford not to support MTSS," she said.
Some public commenters raised concerns about the tax burden on homeowners. Kelly Swain, a district parent and realtor, said many families already face high property taxes and asked the board to "find a better way to pay for a program like this and not to put it on the ballot." Board members weighed those concerns and the projected per-parcel cost: one member noted the proposal equated to roughly "26¢ per day." Several trustees said the measure would protect long-term investments in early intervention and special education beyond baseline legal obligations.
The board moved, seconded and carried a resolution to place the tax on the ballot (resolution number referenced in the meeting packet). The motion passed on a roll-call vote recorded by the clerk. If the measure is approved by voters in November, the district would begin collecting the tax in July 2027 and the board president may submit a ballot pamphlet argument in support of the measure.
