Voters in two San Jose elementary school districts will decide new parcel taxes on Nov. 3, 2026. Cambrian School District's Measure Q would charge $148 per parcel a year, and Orchard School District's Measure R would charge up to $89 per home. Both last eight years and both need two-thirds of the vote.

Why it matters: Both districts say the money would keep teachers and programs in place as enrollment drops and costs rise. A parcel tax is a flat charge, so it does not depend on what a home is worth.

Measure Q: Cambrian School District, $148 a parcel

Cambrian School District, based on Jacksol Drive in San Jose, runs five schools: Bagby, Fammatre and Farnham elementaries, Price Middle School and Steindorf STEAM Magnet.

  • Cost: $148 per parcel a year, about $12.33 a month, with annual inflation adjustments. Businesses and homes pay the same flat rate.
  • Revenue: about $1 million a year, first collected in 2027-28.
  • Exemption: homeowners 65 and older can apply.
  • What it pays for: keeping teachers, math, science, reading, arts and music programs, class sizes, and counseling.

The district says a budget committee spent two years finding $2.6 million in ongoing cuts, and the board closed Sartorette Elementary, going from six schools to five and saving about $1 million a year. It says it still faces a shortfall. Without Measure Q, it lists possible cuts to music, library staff and hours, elementary PE aides, and academic and mental health support. Cambrian voters passed a parcel tax, Measure H, in 2018, and school bonds in 2014 and 2020.

Measure R: Orchard School District, up to $89 a home

Orchard School District is based on Fox Lane in North San Jose. Its board voted July 29 to put Measure R on the ballot.

  • Cost: 4 cents per building square foot, capped at $89 a year for a residential parcel and $7,500 for a commercial parcel.
  • Revenue: about $1.4 million a year for eight years, starting July 1, 2027.
  • Exemptions: qualifying seniors and some people receiving SSI or SSDI disability benefits.
  • What it pays for: keeping teachers and staff, STEAM and arts programs, reading and writing, student mental health support, and classroom technology.

The money would sit in a separate account, with annual spending reports and an independent audit, the district says.

What yes and no mean

A yes vote approves the parcel tax for eight years. A no vote rejects it, and each district would have to cut further or come back to voters later.

Who is for and against

Each district's board voted to place its measure on the ballot. The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association recommends a no vote on both, as part of its opposition to every tax measure on Santa Clara County ballots this fall.

Nearby, East San Jose's Alum Rock district is asking for a parcel tax and a bond; see our Alum Rock Measure O and P explainer. For San Jose Unified's trustee races, see our school board guide, and for everything else, our Election 2026 guide.