Proposition 28 will allow new classes to be added without the risk of replacement for others. When schools lose funding, arts, and music classes are commonly the first to be cut.

Prop 28 passed in 2022 and was put into effect starting in 2023. This will provide about $1 billion in further funding for all types of art classes in public and charter schools, such as; dance, media arts, music, theatre, and many types of visual arts.

The new funding amount exceeds the required funding distributed for public schools and community colleges. A minimum of 80% of the funding is required to be used on employing teachers and the remaining amount on training and supplies for schools with 500 or more students enrolled. This measure was designed to help support arts education for schools with larger amounts of low-income students. It is guaranteed by legislation that 40% of California’s general fund goes to education; Proposition 28 will add 1% to arts instruction.

A current educator who supports Prop 28 states, “I voted yes on Prop 28 because I strongly believe that arts are a valuable part of a student’s education, and for some students, it is the only exposure they will ever have.”

Prop 28 will provide many new opportunities and classes for students at Placer High School. This measure also allows teachers to focus on specific students, grades, and classes.

Jonathan Adams, the film teacher at Placer believes that Prop 28’s funding will be a huge help. “All of my film classes are mixed (Freshmen, Dual Enrollment, Advanced, and Advanced II). This means that different levels of students are working on different projects quite often. Prop 28 funding could allow my classes to be split up so I can focus on a single grade level each block,” explains Adams.

The art community at Placer High School helps support students in many ways. Senior at Placer, Eliana Merck expressed, “Placer’s art community has kept me involved by providing creative spaces and giving me opportunities outside of the classroom. The teachers have inspired and pushed me to create outside my comfort zone.”

Proposition 28 will help strengthen the art community by adding more support and classes. Kyle Turner, Placer High School’s principal states, “We are still looking into what classes we can add because it will impact our staff, and we don’t know who can teach what. Arts education plays a big role in students’ educational journey. These classes give students new experiences and motivation.”