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Education

LAUSD board approves $9 billion bond election

A diverse group of young children sit on a mat inside a classroom. Sitting next to them on stools are two men in suits; the man on the left has dark-tone skin, and the man on the right has medium-tone skin.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (on the left stool) and LAUSD superintendent Albert Carvalho visit Van Deene Avenue Elementary School.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
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The Los Angeles Unified School District board voted unanimously Wednesday to send a $9 billion bond to voters in November to fund school repairs and upgrades.

Yes, that’s a lot of money

The school facilities bond for the entire state, which voters this fall will know as Prop 2, is $10 billion. If approved, the bond would replenish a pool of money districts can request for new construction and repairs, but to access that money, districts have to put up matching dollars.

Why it matters

LAUSD wants to upgrade and repair facilities that serve more than 400,000 students. By the district’s estimate, 50,000 HVAC units, 18 million square feet of roofs, and 2 million square feet of plumbing piping need replacing. Other priorities include enhancing accessibility for students with disabilities, better energy efficiency, and green space. (That work can take a while.) A bond helps do that by raising money through increased taxes.

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Taxes, you say?

The district estimates the bond would cost property-owners $25.04 per $100,000 of assessed value.

Read the full proposal

Or find it here ▶

Weigh in

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Contact your school board member

Find Your LAUSD Board Member

Senior education editor Ross Brenneman contributed to this story.

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