“Children do not leave their physical or mental health care issues at the school's front door,” said Dr. Sheri Coburn, executive director of the California School Nurses Association, describing the growing responsibilities of school nurses as California voters prepare to decide the future of education funding.
On November 3, Californians will vote on Proposition 3, a ballot measure that would make permanent existing higher income tax rates on the state's wealthiest residents. Supporters say the measure is essential to maintaining funding for public schools, community colleges, and other services, including healthcare.
During an October 15 briefing hosted by American Community Media in partnership with the California Teachers Association, education and healthcare advocates explained how the measure works and what could happen if the tax rates expire.
California first approved higher income taxes on wealthy residents through Proposition 30 in 2012, during the aftermath of the Great Recession. Voters extended those rates through Proposition 55 in 2016, with an expiration date of 2030.
Proposition 3 would eliminate that expiration date, keeping the existing tax rates in place indefinitely.
“We are not changing it. We're not increasing it. We're just not cutting it,” said Karen Getman, an attorney who helped draft the original measure.
According to Getman, the tax affects approximately the highest-earning 2% of Californians. The additional rates begin on income above approximately $371,000 for individuals, with higher rates applying at additional income thresholds.
The revenue varies with economic conditions, generating an estimated $5 billion to $15 billion annually, Getman said.
The funds support public education, while also helping preserve state budget resources for healthcare and other programs. Revenue is tracked through a designated account, with school districts required to publicly report how they spend the money.
Getman estimated that allowing the tax rates to expire could result in a multibillion-dollar reduction in annual state revenue beginning after 2030.
California educators say the state's public schools are struggling with insufficient staffing, overcrowded classrooms, and growing student needs.
According to a 2026 California Teachers Association report cited during the briefing, 80% of surveyed members said their schools lacked sufficient resources to support students, 78% reported overcrowded classrooms, and 73% said their schools lacked educators.
Eva Ruiz, an educator in California's Central Valley and a member of the California Teachers Association, said the existing tax revenue helps support programs such as transitional kindergarten, school meals, special education, and mental health counseling.
She warned that reduced funding could force districts to eliminate positions and services.
For students with disabilities, English language learners, and children from low-income households, those reductions could be particularly damaging.
Ruiz said schools rely on predictable funding to hire teachers and maintain programs, noting that uncertainty over future budgets can also discourage people from entering the education profession.
Getman added that California's Local Control Funding Formula directs additional resources to districts serving higher concentrations of low-income students and English language learners.
The consequences of school funding decisions extend beyond the classroom, according to Coburn.
She said approximately 40% of California school-age children have at least one chronic health condition, while one in five experiences a mental health condition.
School nurses regularly assist children with asthma, diabetes, seizures, severe allergies, and other medical needs.
Yet California has some of the nation's highest student-to-school-nurse ratios, according to Coburn, who recalled managing approximately 5,000 students across five schools during her career.
At another rural school, she was available only one day per week.
Coburn described treating a young student experiencing a severe asthma attack. The child's medical records did not indicate an asthma diagnosis, and emergency responders were approximately 15 minutes away.
She administered medication while waiting for help, potentially saving the child's life.
Coburn also recalled identifying a student's previously undiagnosed seizures after a teacher reported that the child appeared distracted in class.
These examples, she argued, demonstrate how school nurses provide both emergency care and early identification of medical conditions that can interfere with learning.
Although Proposition 3 primarily concerns education funding, speakers emphasized its broader implications for California's budget.
Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said maintaining the existing tax revenue would help preserve the state's ability to fund healthcare programs while responding to federal funding reductions.
She described the financial challenges facing healthcare providers following changes to federal Medicaid funding.
According to Hicks, Planned Parenthood affiliates in California faced a $438 million funding gap following federal restrictions, contributing to the closure of five health centers and reductions in some services.
She warned that further state budget pressure could compound these challenges.
Healthcare programs, including Medi-Cal, children's healthcare, behavioral health services, and community clinics, depend on state resources that must also support education.
Hicks said stable, long-term funding is especially important for healthcare providers making decisions about staffing, facilities, and patient services.
The proposal also raises questions about California's reliance on income taxes paid by its highest earners.
During the briefing, reporters asked whether making a temporary tax permanent could encourage wealthy residents to leave the state.
Getman disputed that concern, referring to earlier research that she said found little evidence of significant migration caused by the tax rates.
However, revenue from high-income taxpayers can fluctuate considerably, particularly when capital gains and investment earnings rise or fall.
Getman acknowledged that volatility, noting that California uses reserve funds to help protect services during economic downturns.
The briefing largely featured organizations supporting Proposition 3, and did not include a representative of the opposition campaign.
For voters, the central decision is whether to permanently maintain a tax structure that has been in place since 2012 or allow the higher rates to expire after 2030.
As California schools confront staffing shortages and healthcare providers face financial uncertainty, the outcome could have lasting implications for how the state funds essential public services.
