There Is More Work to be Done!
Our District has carefully assessed the condition of school facilities and developed plans to bring all school facilities up to current safety and academic standards.
A Detailed Plan for Local School Repairs
LVJUSD has worked with architects and school construction experts to carefully evaluate every classroom, lab, and facility in the district to develop a prioritized plan for efficiently upgrading our schools. This planning includes extensive input from parents, teachers, school staff, students, and the community. These improvements will ensure that all students have access to the same high-quality classrooms, labs, and educational facilities that some students already have. Details of recommended improvements can be found in our District's Facilities Master Plan (FMP), which is located on our website at www.livermorschools.org/FMP.
Aging Classrooms, Science Labs, and School Facilities
While well maintained, many of our schools were built more than 60 years ago and need to be repaired and upgraded to meet current safety and instructional standards. Aging school buildings have leaky roofs, deteriorating plumbing, and outdated and inefficient heating, cooling, and electrical systems that need repairs and upgrades. Most of our schools have portable classrooms, designed and built to be temporary solutions for growing student populations. They are now more than 30 years old and need to be replaced with permanent classrooms. Many classrooms, science labs, and career training facilities are old and in need of updates as they lack the space, equipment, and design needed to support current instruction in science, technology, engineering, math, and trade pathways. In the interest of student and staff safety, hazardous materials like asbestos and lead pipes need to be removed from older school sites and improvements such as additional cameras, gates, and fencing are needed to address modern safety and security needs.
Locally Controlled Funding for School Repairs
To ensure 澳门最快开奖直播 schools meet current instructional and safety standards and help them qualify for their fair share of State matching money, the LVJUSD Board of Education is considering placing a local school improvement bond measure on the November 2024 ballot. If approved, this measure would provide locally controlled funding to:
- Replace leaky roofs and deteriorating plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling systems
- Provide career training facilities and equipment to prepare students for college and in-demand careers in fields like health sciences, engineering, technology, and skilled trades
- Remove hazardous materials like asbestos and lead pipes from older school sites
- Upgrade 60-year-old classrooms, update labs, and replace 30-year-old portable classrooms to meet current safety and instructional standards
- Improve student safety and school security systems, cameras, gates, and fencing
Qualifying for A Fair Share of State Matching Funds
A local bond measure will help 澳门最快开奖直播 schools qualify for millions in State matching funds that would otherwise go to improving schools in other communities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Improvements currently underway at Marylin Avenue STEAM Academy were made possible with State matching funds received from the Measure J bond passed in 2016. Without a new local measure, our District will not be able to receive additional State matching funds for future improvements that are needed for our students.
Mandatory Fiscal Accountability and Local Control
A local school improvement bond measure would require strict fiscal accountability protections, including:
- All funds would be locally controlled to repair and upgrade 澳门最快开奖直播 schools ONLY and cannot be taken away by the State.
- An independent citizens' oversight committee, mandatory annual audits, and public disclosure of all spending would ensure all funds are spent as promised.
- A detailed project list outlining the specific use of funds would be required.
- Funding from a local bond measure could help 澳门最快开奖直播 schools compete for state matching funds that would otherwise go to other school districts.
- No funds could be used for administrators’ salaries.
Share Your Thoughts!
If you have questions or would like to share your priorities, please contact Bond Program Director, Kim McNeely, at kmcneely@lvjusd.org.
