Award-Winning Public Education Takes a Team

The Los Altos School District (LASD) blends critical thinking and creativity to deliver a well-rounded learning experience for our community’s children. LASD is regularly ranked in the top 1% of all school districts in California. The funding LASD receives from public sources – including both federal and state governments as well as funds from local property and parcel taxes – is insufficient to allow LASD to provide this rich educational experience on its own. To make up for this shortfall, the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) and each school’s PTA work closely together to bridge the funding gap so that an excellent education is provided to all children at their individual campuses.

To understand how Santa Rita functions, it is helpful to understand how these three organizations work together:

LASD - Provides core curriculum, core facilities, and core staff/teachers funded by federal, state, and local sources. Visit LASD’s website for more information.

LAEF - Provides funding for teachers and essential programs at each school beyond what public funding provides, benefitting all TK-8th grade students at every school in LASD.

 This school year, your donations to LAEF mean that our students have Physical Education (PE) in elementary school, Computer Science, STEM in the classroom, Librarians, the Art Docents Program, 4-6^th Grade Music, Junior High Electives, and Mental Health Counseling. LAEF is a proud co-sponsor of the MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series which is free for LASD parents to attend.

 LAEF provided an Innovation Grant to LASD last year to refresh the junior high elective offerings. The new electives rolling out this school year offer more options for students to explore their interests.

 Parents, community members, and businesses are encouraged to donate to LAEF to keep our schools strong. Gifts of any amount are appreciated! Learn more about LAEF-funded programs and donate or pledge today.

Santa Rita PTA - Provides funding for equipment, supplies, and community enrichment as well as volunteers to facilitate or assist with special school programs and events. Donations to the PTA can pay for things as far ranging as a marker in a classroom or a bus for a school field trip. A PTA volunteer may be an individual grandparent reading a book for 15 minutes in their grandchild’s classroom or 50 PTA parents taking a day off from work to facilitate Field Day in June. To help support the Santa Rita PTA, donate here.

Without community support from all three organizations - LASD, LAEF, and the Santa Rita PTA - Santa Rita would not be the wonderful place we all love!

Let's come together to provide a well-rounded, excellent education for all our students!

For more information, please visit the following sites:

• LASD Curriculum   
• LAEF Annual Grant to LASD
• Watch the Superintendent's welcome message and learn more about the important partnership between PTA, LAEF, and LASD to provide our students with a well-rounded, excellent education.  
• About the Santa Rita School PTA
• Funding An Excellent Education video