Parents and community members contribute to the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF); LAEF provides a grant to the Los Altos School District (LASD); LASD hires teachers and ensures that the curriculum provides a well-rounded education at every school. Here’s how the process works:

• Public funds aren't enough to provide the education we want for our students. LAEF raises money to provide LASD with additional funding for teachers and programs.
• Each winter, LASD determines its curriculum objectives for the following school year and communicates its financial needs to LAEF.
• LAEF identifies an appropriate fundraising goal for the next school year based on the projected enrollment, recent giving trends, economic climate, and other factors.
• LAEF meets with the District to communicate how much money it can expect to receive from the foundation the following year. Then, we work together to identify the programs for which LAEF will raise funds. This process results in an agreed upon “Annual Grant” from LAEF to LASD for the following school year. Details about LAEF’s Annual Grant are publicly available every year so parents and the community will know exactly how their donations are being spent.
• LASD determines the curriculum, manages teachers and staff, and provides additional funding for these programs. This year, LAEF supports LASD in funding 27.52 full-time equivalent teachers and staff, plus mental health counselors.

By funding at the District level, LASD provides teachers across multiple schools that individual schools would not be able to afford on their own. For example, several schools may share a PE or music teacher, splitting the cost and time while all benefiting from the teacher’s commitment to our students. PTAs are not allowed to fund classroom teachers. Donations to LAEF are the only way to fund additional teaching staff at our schools.