The Los Angeles Unified School District School Board voted unanimously Wednesday to place a $9 billion bond measure to fund school repairs and improvements on the November ballot.
Funds from the proposed bond will be used “to upgrade, modernize, and replace aging and deteriorating school facilities, including school technology infrastructure and equipment,” according to a district report. Those include replacements or repairs to roofs, aging plumbing systems and other infrastructure that promotes the health of students such as shade across playgrounds and bigger cafeteria kitchens for fresh meal preparation.
“These investments are not expenditures. They are investments in our students, our workforce, our schools and our local economy,” said LAUSD Supt. Alberto Carvalho during the board meeting Wednesday. The schools chief said he’s seen the district’s “subpar” learning environments and wants to provide more for schools and students while prioritizing schools that have the highest need of improvements.
The bond implementation plan will take place over the course of ten years, according to a presentation from the district. If approved by at least 55% of voters, the district estimates the bond would cost property owners $25.04 per $100,000 of assessed value. The measure is different from Prop. 2, a $10 billion statewide effort to help fund repairs and upgrades at schools across California.
Dr. Rocio Rivas, District 2 board member, representing Eastside schools, told the board that there’s always stress and worry across schools in her district when rain is in the forecast because of leaks. She shared other anecdotes of some schools not having proper heating and cooling infrastructure and how it impacts student learning.
“I know that our facilities [department] do the best that they can but there’s a lot that needs to be fixed. Our students experience these facility issues and have feelings of neglect and feeling unloved,” Rocio told the board during the meeting. “I feel their frustration… This school facilities bond is long overdue.”
This story has been updated to reflect district estimates on bond costs to property owners.
