MBEF helps uphold stability in Manhattan Beach schools
Kindergarten students play learning games on the iPad during class. The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation funds the district’s 21st Century learning employee, who oversees the iPad pilot. Photo by Alene Tchekmedyian Last month, groups of parent volunteers in blue t-shirts flocked to Manhattan Beach schools, waving MBEF flags and handing out pledge forms to parents picking up their kids from school – the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation was going to work. Founded in 1983 following the passage of Proposition 13, which changed local school districts’ ability to control their funding, the education foundation has grown into a non-profit organization that funds 66 educators, including classroom teachers, career counselors and librarians. The foundation raises $4.6 million annually to sustain these positions. So far this year, it’s raised $3.5 million, according to Susan Warshaw, the foundation’s executive director. In a time of deep economic challenges, when the state continues to slash its budget, the foundation offers Manhattan Beach schools a competitive edge. “Our kids would not have nearly the depth of opportunities, we would be lucky to offer the basics of education,” said…
Read this story on easyreadernews.com