History

Our Start
The Foundation was formed in 2004 by community members who share a commitment to maintaining and improving the excellence of programs in Davis schools. The founding members crafted a “Dollar-a-Day” concept for raising funds, urging supporters to contribute the equivalent of $1 a day for a year, or $365, to make sure that public school children in Davis continue to have receive an excellent education.

Since 2005, we have raised and granted $3.2 million to the Davis the Davis Joint Unified School Distrct.  A rundown of our funding history shows that we have had two standout years: In 2008 and again in 2010, our spring “Dollar-a-Day” campaigns raised more than $1 million to bolster the district’s operating budget for the following school years. The grants allowed the district to retain staff members who otherwise would have been laid off.

This Year
In spring of 2011, we took a break from active fundraising during the campaign for Measure A, a parcel tax to preserve excellence in Davis schools. The DJUSD placed the measure on the ballot, and it passed with slightly more than two-thirds of the vote.

Under Measure A, homeowners will pay $200 per year and apartment owners will pay $20 per unit for two years. The revenue of $3 million a year helps  fill the school district’s $3.3 million deficit. Measure A supplements two existing taxes — Measures Q and W, which bring in $320 a year per single-family home and $150 per apartment. They both expire in June 2012.

During the summer 2011, we will be meeting with DJUSD officials to discuss the foundation’s role during the next school year and beyond. Follow our blog on this site our our Facebook page to keep abreast of our latest news.