The San Diego Unified School District has more than 200 school sites, the majority built 20-50 years ago. Half of our buildings are more than 45 years old. We need significant facility improvements to meet current educational needs, support 21st century teaching and learning, and ensure a safe, secure and healthy environment for our students and staff. On July 23, 2008, the Board of Education approved placing a general obligation (GO) bond measure on the ballot for the November 4, 2008, general election to help fund these improvements.

Named Proposition S, the 10-year bond measure is a major component of the district’s Long-Range Facilities Master Plan. If passed, the measure would:

• benefit all SDUSD students and schools;
• provide approximately $2.1 billion toward the district’s unfilled capital improvements;
• allow our district to build on the accomplishments of Proposition MM by making much-needed capital improvements not funded by Proposition MM;
• extend the current Prop. MM tax rate ($66.70 per $100,000 assessed value of taxable property), which expires 2029, to 2044. [The district intends to structure the proposed bonds so that the estimated combined tax rate needed to repay all of the district’s bonds, including Prop. MM bonds, will not increase as a result of the issuance of the proposed bond. –SDUSD Board-approved bond resolution]

Our district is currently updating our Long-Range Facility Master Plan. Facilities Management is conducting a comprehensive assessment of needs. They have evaluated funding options and conducted extensive outreach among district stakeholders to share findings from the assessment; discuss costs, funding sources and priorities; and seek input. Outreach has included:

• high school cluster meetings (over 710 participants, more than 1400 volunteer hours by non-district staff);
• principal surveys (approximately 170 returned);
• Ad Hoc Task Force on the Bond (approximately 25 board-appointed volunteers; six meetings held);
• District Facilities Task Force (approximately 50 members; four meetings held).

Preliminary estimates indicate approximately $5.5 billion in unmet facility needs. Needs continue to grow due to changes in educational programs (e.g., new K-8 and magnet schools); technology upgrades for today’s standards; safety/security systems improvements; Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades; ventilation/heating/cooling repairs and upgrades; repair/replacement of deteriorated building systems, etc. Potential funding sources include: excess property income, developer fees, redevelopment funds, leased property income, the Physical Plant Operations budget, the State School Facilities Fund, and GO bonds such as the one now on the November ballot.

We are rapidly coming to the close of the very successful, 10-year Proposition MM bond program that funded over $1.5 billion in facilities improvements. When Proposition MM passed, it funded $1.5 billion out of $4 billion in capital improvement needs.