SANTA MONICA—On Thursday, August 15, the Santa Monica Education Foundation granted the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education meeting, $2,104,564 for the upcoming school year. The money is going to fund programs and pay faculty members.
The grant will support 70 classrooms aides, weekly art class for every elementary student, STEM programs, other academic programs and wellness programs.
The money was raised by local parents, community members and local businesses such as the Santa Monica Wine Auction and the Ed’s Foundation signature event.
“With California state funding for TK-12 education continuing to fall behind other states, I am so grateful to each of the donors who gave during our annual campaign,” said Linda Greenberg, Executive Director of the Ed Foundation. “They have personally helped enriched the education of our Santa Monica public schools and shown that they believe in the promise of public education,” according to the Santa Monica Education news release.
The Santa Monica Education Foundation was created in 1982 due to budget cuts the school district was receiving. The foundation is made up of community members, businesses and parents.
“The district is grateful for this wonderful support from our community,” said Dr. Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, President of the SMMUSD Board of Education. “The funds from the Ed Foundation’s donors enable us to provide arts programs, STEM, additional staff and more in our Santa Monica schools, beyond what is funded by the state. This is not the norm and our entire community benefits tremendously from this investment in education.”
