Voters in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, which serves elementary and middle school students in East San Jose, will see two school funding measures on their Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. Measure O is a parcel tax for school programs and teacher pay. Measure P is a $100 million bond for building repairs. They are separate questions, and each one passes or fails on its own.

Why it matters: Both measures need more than a simple majority. Measure O needs two-thirds of the vote, and Measure P needs 55%. Every property owner inside the district would pay Measure O's flat tax, while Measure P is paid through property tax bills based on assessed value.

Measure O: a $310 parcel tax for seven years

Measure O would replace the district's existing parcel tax with a new tax of $310 per parcel per year, expiring after seven years. The district says it would raise about $6.5 million a year. The tax would fall on every parcel in the district, whether residential, commercial, agricultural or industrial.

According to the district's Measure O FAQ, the money would go to:

  • Services and programs for students with disabilities
  • Academic support to improve reading, writing, math and science
  • Help for foster youth and students experiencing housing instability
  • English Language Learner programs and science, technology, engineering, arts and math classes
  • Competitive salaries and benefits to recruit and keep teachers and staff, and avoiding budget cuts

Homeowners 65 and older can apply for an exemption on their residence. The district says seniors who already receive an exemption from the current parcel tax will be exempted from Measure O automatically. The measure bars spending on administrator salaries, pensions or benefits, and calls for an independent citizens' oversight committee and auditor.

Measure P: a $100 million school repair bond

Measure P would let the district borrow up to $100 million by selling general obligation bonds, repaid through property taxes. The ballot question says the money would repair leaky roofs and plumbing, replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and upgrade emergency communication and security systems.

The full project list in the board's election resolution also includes replacing aging portable classrooms with permanent buildings, special education and counseling spaces, STEAM labs, libraries, restrooms and hydration stations, preschool and kindergarten play areas, playgrounds and fields, pickup and drop-off areas, seismic work and disability-access upgrades.

What it would cost: The district's tax rate statement estimates an average levy of $25.52 per $100,000 of assessed value, peaking at about $30 per $100,000 starting in 2033-34, with the tax expected to be collected through 2053-54. Repaying all the bonds, with interest, would cost an estimated $170 million. The rate is based on a property's assessed value on the county tax roll, not its market value.

The ballot question says the bond would not raise current tax rates. In its resolution, the board said it expects the combined tax rate for all district bonds to stay at or below the 2025-26 rate of $97.80 per $100,000 of assessed value, which means the new bonds would extend existing tax payments for more years. The resolution notes that this is an expectation, not a legal guarantee.

What a yes or no vote means

  • Measure O, yes: the current parcel tax is replaced by a $310-a-year tax for seven years. No: the new tax is not approved.
  • Measure P, yes: the district may issue up to $100 million in bonds for the listed projects. No: the bonds are not authorized.

Both measures were placed on the ballot by the district's Board of Trustees. Ballotpedia does not list an organized campaign for or against either one. Official arguments and impartial analyses appear in the Santa Clara County voter guide, and ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3. For every measure on Bay Area ballots, see our Nov. 3, 2026 election guide.