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03/28/2005 ORIGINAL RESOLUTION NO. 14634 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING MEASURE V, REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING FOR CLASSROOM EDUCATION EXCELLENCE ACT OF 2005 WHEREAS, youth and education comprise one of the City Council's key priorities, and a high - quality education for our community's youth carries with it a multitude of both short- and long -term community -wide benefits; and WHEREAS, the Redwood City School District has shown dramatic improvement in its API (Academic Performance Index) test scores over the last five years, despite the fact that the District has been forced to cut its budget by approximately $8 million in that same time period; and WHEREAS, the District's performance illustrates its commitment to providing a high - quality education to all of its students, nearly half of whom are English learners, highlights its ability to allocate its funding where it will have the most impact, and clearly shows that it is doing a superb job even with the drastically reduced budget forced on it by State funding cuts and take- aways; and WHEREAS, despite its best efforts, the District is faced with an estimated $3.5 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year, and without additional funding will be forced to lay off 57 teachers (forcing an increase in class size from 20 to 29 students for all K -3 classes), eliminate 50% of its librarian positions and reduce library hours by one - half, eliminate all District music programs and teaching positions, reduce the availability of reading and math program specialists, who focus on struggling students, reduce programs for gifted students, and reduce programs for middle school intervention; and WHEREAS, in light of the reality of these devastating reductions and their likely impact on students, the District has placed on the May 3, 2005 ballot a funding measure in the form of a five -year, $85 per year parcel tax; and WHEREAS, if passed by the voters, these funds (approximately $3.3 million annually) will be used only to maintain small class sizes, fund school library programs and music programs, retain reading and math intervention specialists, and fund programs for advanced teacher development, gifted and talented students, and middle school intervention; and WHEREAS, the language of Measure V specifies that an independent oversight committee made up of community leaders and qualified volunteers would be created to monitor and audit parcel tax funds to ensure they are spent only in voter approved funding categories; and Afty /Reso /Reso.1523 14634 031405 1 Muff # 301