Proposed Policy Would Restrict PTA School Fundraising

A proposed policy by staff would take most of the fundraising power away from school PTAs and place the nonprofit in charge of the effort for the entire district.

The SMMUSD staff report, which is attached to this article, states that the purpose of the proposed policy is "to create a structure for increased giving and to create program parity during the school day."

There have been accusations that certain schools are able to provide a better education to children than others because their PTAs raise more money.

The Board of Education will host the first public hearing on the proposal Thursday at Malibu City Hall. A second hearing will take place in Santa Monica on Nov. 17 and the board is expected to vote on the policy at a special meeting in Santa Monica on Nov. 29, according to an email to the PTA Council from Council President Kelly Pye.

Under the policy, school PTAs would be prohibited from raising money to hire personnel and to support programs and services eliminated due to SMMUSD budget cuts. The Education Foundation would be placed in charge of all these efforts. It would also be the only entity that could collect corporate gifts in excess of $2,500.

Santa Monica schools' PTAs raise money to hire teacher aides and specialists and to support various programs and services. During the Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School charter school effort, supporters boasted about the PTA's ability to raise money to support programs as proof the school could function on its own. 

The Board of Education approved a major change to SMMUSD fundraising rules in 2004 when it created the Equity Fund. With that measure, schools must contribute 15 percent of most donations given to the institution. Money from the fund is distributed to all the SMMUSD schools on a weighted scale. The schools with more low-income and struggling students receive more money. Approval of this measure was controversial, with many Malibu parents fearing it would reduce the amount of contributions to their schools.