Proposition 55 is a $12.3 billion kindergarten through university public education facilities bond act. The bond allocates $10 billion toward grades K through 12 and $2.3 billion to higher education.

Almost half the bond funding, $5.26 billion, would be used for the purchase of land to build and construct new K­12 school buildings, while $2.25 billion would address the reconstruction and modernization of existing K­12 school facilities. But, school districts receiving bond funds would be required to share the bill, paying for 50 percent of new construction projects and 40 percent of school renovation costs, unless a district claims to have a "hardship."

Yes on 55 spokeswoman Kathy Fairbanks said district matching would not be necessary for "hardship" cases, which include critically overcrowded schools and districts that cannot raise the matching funds. She said the bond's language ensures that every public school district in California will receive its fair share, but the most needy cases will be addressed first.

While San Jose Unified is in the midst of Measure F improvements at school campuses—Measure F is a San Jose parcel tax passed in 2002 to repair aging campuses—San Jose Unified School District Associate Superintendent Jerry Matranga said he welcomes the opportunity to receive additional funding to accomplish more districtwide renovations. He said if the incoming bond money from Proposition 55 were used for a Measure F project, as it most likely would be, then Measure F funding would cover the 40 to 50 percent not paid through the proposition.

"I'm very hopeful that this passes," he said. "It would allow the red line to drop, which means we can do more work throughout the district because of state money."

He said this same circumstance happened with the Measure C bond—a parcel tax passed in 1997 to modernize San Jose district schools. Because of state money it received, the district was able to make more improvements than originally planned.

San Jose Unified School District trustee Carol Myers indicated that the most the district might qualify for under Proposition 55 is $5 million, because the state gave generously to the school district under prior bond acts—$68 million—in addition to the funds the district received from voter-approved parcel-tax measures. This time around, there might be other districts elsewhere in the state with greater needs, Myers said.

Although San Jose Unified joins many other districts in support of the measure, supporters know they face stiff competition from other bond propositions on the March ballot, including Proposition 57, which seeks $15 billion to resolve the state budget deficit crisis.

But Matranga said he is fairly confident voters will see the positive impact Proposition 55 will have for San Jose Unified and the rest of California's public schools.

For more information on Proposition 55, visit http://www.voterguide.ss.ca.gov/ propositions/prop55-title.html.