The History of School Facility Bonds in California and the Effects on the Bret Harte Union High School District
The landscape of public education funding in California underwent a seismic shift with the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. This landmark ballot initiative drastically altered the mechanism for funding public services, including the construction and maintenance of school facilities, by limiting property tax rates and assessed valuations.
Before Proposition 13, school districts largely relied on local property taxes to fund new construction and renovate existing facilities. Bond measures, requiring a two-thirds majority vote, were a common tool. However, the pre-Proposition 13 era also saw variations in the quality of school facilities, often reflecting the wealth of individual communities…