DUBLIN, CA — Like many districts around the state, the Dublin Unified School District has been hit with dramatically reduced funding from the state. In March, the DUSD Board of Trustees voted to approve budget cuts of $4.4 million, which will lead to major cuts in staffing. The district has said it anticipates cutting a further $5.5 million for the 2025-26 school year, some of the most drastic cuts in its history.
But a new group of concerned parents and citizens aren’t taking this lying down. The newly-formed Dublin Education Alliance has launched an inaugural campaign called “Empower Dublin Education,” which aims to raise $500,000 this year to help fund areas affected by the cuts.
As part of its public outreach campaign around the cuts, DUSD surveyed community members to find out what they valued most. The community said it is most concerned about adequate classroom materials, mental health counselors, social workers, campus supervision, and adequate library, technical, and custodial support.
DEA, which has the support of the school district, said that it hopes to help support STEM education, extra reading and math education, counseling, and student wellness.
“We know what the community values, we know we’re heading into budget cuts, so that’s why a foundation makes sense at this time,” DEA President Audrey Borland told Patch. Borland said that the new group looked to neighboring cities with successful educational foundations, particularly in the demographically similar Pleasanton, where the Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation raises about $850,000 a year.
“We’re well aware that not everyone in the community is in the position to give, and that is absolutely not the point at all,” she said. “But for those community members that are in the fortunate financial position to do this, we wanted to create a clear avenue with transparency in what the funding will be spent on, and to marry that with what the community has said they desire to maintain for our students.”
All donations are 100% tax deductible, and in some instances, employers may be able to match donations.
At this early stage, Borland said that the DEA has raised some money, but is equally focused on community awareness. “We’re trying to educate our community on what is happening, because this truly is a different position than the Dublin community has been in for years and years.”
The cuts are due to a number of converging factors. For years, Dublin was the fastest growing city in California, resulting in an influx of per-pupil funding. That growth has stalled from about 700 new students each year to just 50. At the same time, federal pandemic relief funds are expiring, and budget cuts are hitting schools around California.
“We know that families decide to be in Dublin for many reasons, but a top one is its education,” Borland said. “It is so clear living here how much parents invest and care about their children’s education and their futures, and this is hopefully one avenue for families who can and want to help.”
For more information and to donate, visit dublineducationalliance.org.
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