– WHAT WE FUND – 

By donating to the ECC, you can ensure that your child is receiving a balanced education without needing to figure out how much to give to PTA vs. SchoolForce.

 

Both organizations support delivering a quality educational experience for our children, but they do so in different ways. SchoolForce addresses all the critical district-wide programs such as science, art and music teachers; in-class technology; art, music and physical education programs; professional development; teacher innovation grants; and social-emotional learning and support. PTA supports site-specific programs such as field trips, assemblies, family nights, classroom supplies, science and book fairs, and more. PTA cannot contribute to salaries whereas SchoolForce does.

 

As state funding per student has decreased and costs have increased, SchoolForce has become an even more critical part of the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District budget. As of the 2022/21 school year, SchoolForce represented $2.5M or 5.8% of the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District budget.  $1.8M of the funds raised by SchoolForce goes towards salaries for additional teaching staff during the academic day. The remainder of the funds raised by SchoolForce pay for academic programs such as art, technology, and curriculum materials. PTA funding helps by supporting supplies for teachers’ and students’ needs at each site and creating strong community connections at our neighborhood schools.