10/18/2026
As you fill out your ballot for the November 3rd election, please join me in voting YES on Measure M, Sacramento City Unified’s Special Education and Early Intervention measure!
Every student in Sac City Unified deserves the tools and support to succeed. Measure M provides funding estimated at $10 million annually strictly dedicated to special education, early intervention, and student support services.
Measure M will allow us to invest in early intervention to identify disabilities earlier and address them up front, so children get help before falling behind, avoiding years of costly remediations later. We can offer targeted services outside of the frustrating structure of an IEP, and get our kids the help they need now rather than after years of back and forth in finding the "right" plan.
Measure M will allow us to support ALL of our students by investing in Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports, which offer individualized and targeted support for every student regardless of whether they have an IEP. This educational model is not easy to explain on a campaign mailer, but in my opinion is where Measure M will really allow us to make the investments for both our students with disabilities and their peers in a way that will truly change how our kids learn for the better.
I understand the need for these investments on a personal level. My son needed speech intervention at age three, but delays in identifying his needs meant he got the wrong services for THREE YEARS and more expensive and intensive support later on. Robust early intervention and individualized services would have helped him immensely, and saved the district money. Measure M ensures students receive proactive services right from the start.
Those opposed to this measure are trying to persuade you that you can support students with disabilities while still voting no. They are wrong. The Board put this measure on the ballot because we know that additional revenue is necessary to allow us to make these investments. We are required to provide legally mandated services, despite the Federal Government failing to provide adequate funding for us to do so, and we will continue to do so no matter what. But additional, dedicated funding will allow us to do more – even in challenging fiscal times.
I know some voters are considering a "No" vote to signal frustration with the district’s budget management. I hear that concern, and I get it. But here is the reality: soaring special education costs across the state have strained budgets everywhere. Measure M isn't a budget fix; the $10 million it raises is a small portion of our $200M+ special education budget. If this were about solving our budget deficit, we would be asking for something entirely different. Measure M is strictly about dedicated, direct investments in special education to deliver better early interventions and additional supports for our students who need it most, which should ultimately reduce long-term costs.
At $95 a year - less than $2 a week - Measure M is a direct investment in the future of our kids and our community. In my opinion, it’s well worth it. I hope you join me in voting YES on Measure M!
