Interview with Sean McPhetridge, CUSD's New Superintendent

PODCAST. Meet Sean. Grew up in So-Cal. Has taught at every level in education. He also worked in the prison system in his early years. He loves a challenge. He comes from Alameda, which compared to Oakland and Piedmont, is also a district with lower funding. He speaks Spanish and wanted to come to the Coastside because he sees CUSD, with 51% Latino population, as representative of the whole state of California.

Things to listen for:

AB1200 County Office of Education Fiscal Oversight

AB-39 Education finance: local control funding formula: aspirational funding level: reports.

Prop 13 reform, closing loopholes to get corporations to pay their property taxes).

Budget $33 million.

Staff = 83% of budget.

Staff = $100k/per staff/year

Crazy Factoid: Sean’s experience in the prison system gives a fascinating perspective on our education system:

In 1980, California had 13 prisons. Now, in 2019, we have 33.

Sean’s suggests that the Prison Industrial Complex has sucked up the education and social services budget. Wouldn’t it be better to educate, rather than incarcerate?

Renew the Parcel Tax?

$1.6 million will be raised from $150 each year

Seniors, Disabilities, Contiguous Parcels Can Apply for Exemptions

FROM CUSD ~ “An exemption application from a qualified applicant will provide an exemption for that tax year only. However, qualified senior applicants will not be required to resubmit their senior exemption application for future tax years provided
1) the property was exempt in the immediately previous tax year, and 2) they continue to own and occupy the property. On an annual basis, the District will verify and renew existing senior exemptions and, if necessary, confirm with the original
applicant that they continue to own and occupy the property.”