Want to help? Here’s how.

As California’s fiscal crisis worsens, school districts throughout the state face huge budget cuts to vital programs. Roughly 20,000 teachers have lost their jobs statewide this year. Long Beach schools have cut $100 million in the past five years and must cut $90 million more over the next two years.

To ease the pain of state budget cuts, the Long Beach Unified School District asked local voters recently whether they were willing to pay 25 cents a day to preserve high quality schools. Though voters rejected this proposal, known as Measure T, nearly 14,000 people voted in favor of the measure. Many parents, employees and neighbors have since asked whether they can donate their 25 cents a day anyway. The answer is yes, and here’s the place to make that tax deductible donation.

Secure online donations may be made to the school of your choice, or simply to LBUSD. We will never share your personal information with anyone else, and you’ll receive an e-mailed receipt for tax write-off purposes. Funds will be handled by the non-profit Long Beach Education Foundation and will go toward:

• Maintaining smaller class sizes, particularly in elementary schools
• Maintaining vocational/career technical job training and college prep programs
• Preserving essential high quality academic offerings, including English, math, social studies, history, computer technology and science
• Preserving arts, music and sports programs
• Preserving after-school programs to keep children off the streets and away from gangs, drugs and crime
• Preserving students’ access to school libraries

Tax deductible checks also may be written to: Long Beach Education Foundation. Checks should be mailed to Long Beach Education Foundation, 1515 Hughes Way, Long Beach, CA 90810.

All funds go directly to help local students, and every little bit helps. Thank you for supporting our children and schools.