$15B school funding line at risk: What Prop 3 means for rural districts like Ukiah and Willits

Supporters of Proposition 3 prepare to hit the pavement, wielding campaign signs outside the regional office. (From Left to Right) – Caroline Gill, a high school teacher at Arcata High School in Humboldt; Isabel Siderakis, faculty at Mendocino College; Amanda Lascovics, WTA President and Willits High Science Teacher; Jenny Ryan, ELA Middle School Teacher in Fairfield. Contributed-Ukiah Daily Journal

On a busy Saturday at Santa Rosa’s California Teachers’ Association (CTA) regional office, a determined group of educators assembled in the parking lot, clutching clipboards, bearing name tags, and wielding signs.

Billions of dollars in state education funding hinge on Proposition 3, a ballot initiative originally approved under Proposition 30 in 2012, that would permanently extend top-bracket income tax rates on high earners to preserve up to $15 billion annually for California public schools and healthcare. The measure imposes no tax increase on middle- or lower-income households, instead removing the scheduled 2030 expiration date for high-earner tax brackets.

“This is not actually a new tax – it’s a tax that is already in place and already supporting our schools,” said Caroline Gill, an educator from Arcata in Humboldt County who traveled to join regional door-knocking efforts.

For rural school systems like the Ukiah Unified School District (UUSD), as well as neighboring districts in Willits, Arcata, and community colleges, the potential loss of state funding carries operational consequences such as a 15% to 16% reduction in state education revenues based on an analysis of Legislative Analyst’s Office revenue models. In small districts, losing general fund revenues forces difficult operational trade-offs.

During fiscal realignments, non-mandated student supports – like school nurses, counselors, and classified classroom aides – are typically the most vulnerable to cuts. Losing these support positions threatens to further depress California’s last-place national ranking in adult-to-student ratios, leaving essential academic and behavioral interventions by the wayside.

“I can’t afford to lose one out of every six teachers when our classrooms have 33 to 35 kids per class. Where would we put them?” said Gill.

At the state level, nonpartisan budget analysts at the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) highlight why these adult-to-student ratios remain so strained: while raw per-pupil funding has climbed to roughly $20,000 per student – ranking California 13th nationally in raw expenditure – the state ranks in the lower-middle tier nationwide for Pre-K–12 outcomes. Once adjusted for regional living costs, mandatory CalSTRS/CalPERS pension contributions, special education mandates, and fixed operational overhead, direct classroom purchasing power drops sharply.

Without sufficient direct funding for classroom personnel, local academic recovery stalls. In UUSD, recent state assessments show just 21% of students proficient in math and 34% in reading – trailing statewide averages – pressuring local demand for reading specialists, instructional aides, and targeted academic interventions.

“While the direct fiscal impact could mean changes to salaries, services, and staffing, the real loss is student learning,” said Ukiah Teachers Association (UTA) President Rebecca Burford.

Amanda Lascovics, High School Science Teacher and President of the Willits Teachers Association, whose district stands to lose more than $3.6 million annually if the tax line sunsets, noted that funding shortfalls compound quickly in rural areas.

“The vast majority of school districts in Mendocino County are Title I, low-income districts,” Lascovics said. “Science lab equipment is shockingly expensive, and any reduction in funding directly impacts students’ experiences in the classroom and their access to a 21st-century education.”

The financial ripple effect extends directly into higher education and regional workforce training. At Mendocino College, which serves a vast 3,200-square-mile rural footprint across both Mendocino and Lake counties, a revenue expiration represents a projected $6 million annual loss.

“That’s a big chunk of future careers,” noted Mendocino College representative Isabel Siderakis.

For rural communities without local four-year universities, community colleges represent far more than a step toward a degree; they function as essential economic and social lifelines. Mendocino College provides local residents with affordable access to career specific advancements that supply the region’s workforce. In lower-income rural areas, where geographic isolation and financial constraints make relocating for higher education impractical, local colleges offer an accessible route toward economic mobility.

The vulnerability of these support structures was highlighted recently when UUSD lost a $1.18 million federal mental health grant, contributing to board decisions in early 2026 to trim 26 positions. While UUSD Communications Officer Dan Dougherty noted the district maintains reserves and isn’t currently planning Prop 3-related cuts, union advocates argue that such grant losses demonstrate why permanent state revenue lines are essential to protect classrooms.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association urge a no vote, cautioning that repeatedly extending temporary tax hikes undermines spending discipline and urging lawmakers to prioritize budget efficiency over top-bracket taxation.

“Every tax bracket benefits from this investment, especially those in higher tax brackets who will employ these future individuals,” Burford countered.

The teachers walking the precincts maintain that public education funding is a vital community investment.

“A budget is where we act out our values and education is a public good,” said Lascovics.

Whether California voters choose to make the high-earner tax rates permanent or allow them to sunset in 2030, the outcome will dictate whether rural districts retain the structural revenue necessary to protect support personnel, manage class sizes, and sustain student outcomes for decades to come.