State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) has introduced Senate Constitutional Amendment 5 (SCA 5), a proposal designed to narrow longstanding funding disparities between California school districts, while securing the endorsement of the California School Employees Association (CSEA), one of the state’s largest education labor organizations.

Known as the Education Equalization Act, SCA 5 would ask California voters to amend the state Constitution to establish an Education Equalization Reserve Account dedicated to increasing per-pupil funding in historically underfunded “non-basic aid” school districts.

The measure would not reduce funding for any district, alter Proposition 98 guarantees for K-12 schools and community colleges, or raise taxes, according to Cortese’s office.

If approved by two-thirds of the Legislature, the proposal would appear on a future statewide ballot.

“California cannot continue accepting a public education system where a child’s achievements and opportunities are determined by dramatically unequal funding formulas,” Cortese said. “Right now, some districts are provided nearly twice as much per student as neighboring communities. That inequity is unacceptable.”

According to California Department of Education data cited by Cortese, Palo Alto Unified School District spends about $29,876 per student annually, while nearby Milpitas Unified School District spends approximately $16,504 per student.

Similar disparities exist elsewhere in the state, including parts of Fresno and Kern counties.

The proposal has drawn support from education advocates and labor leaders.

“The California School Employees Association proudly supports SCA 5 because every student deserves an equal opportunity to a quality public education no matter where they live,” said Adam Weinberger, president of CSEA, which represents more than 250,000 classified school employees statewide. “Classified school employees see every day how funding inequality puts some students at a disadvantage. This bill would help close that gap.”

Dr. Lisa Andrew, president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation — whose organization is co-sponsoring the measure — said the inequities are visible across communities.

“Students just miles apart are receiving dramatically different educations, not because of their potential, but because of their zip code,” Andrew said. “We believe SCA 5 is the kind of bold, structural commitment California’s students have long deserved.”