Get ready to vote

• Understanding school bonds
• Does the state help? 
• How do local bonds work? 
• Is school facilities funding fair?
• Renovated schools vs. outdated schools
• How much will this cost? 
• Who is in charge of all this money? 
• What critics of school bonds say  

This fall at least a dozen school districts throughout Southern California are asking voters to approve about $1.4 billion in bonds, repaid via property taxes, to repair and renovate aging campuses.

• In L.A. County: 10 school districts are seeking about $1.2 billion.
• In Orange County: 2 school districts are seeking $211 million.

The size of the bond and the resulting change in property taxes varies from district to district. Here are guides to the L.A. County districts seeking bonds:

• Bellflower Unified School District
• Charter Oak Unified School District
• Claremont Unified School District
• El Rancho Unified School District
• Glendora Unfied School District
• Hawthorne School District
• Inglewood Unified School District
• Keppel Union School District
• Temple City Unified School District
• Valle Lindo School District

And here are the Orange County districts:

• Laguna Beach Unified School District
• Westminister School District

Collectively, these ballot measures reflect a landscape of aging campuses, limited funding for education and rising construction costs.

This guide will help you understand the basics of school facilities funding so you can make an informed vote on your local bond.

Understanding school bonds

Researchers estimate that nearly a third of California schools are at least 50 years old — and many districts report that age is starting to show.

Yet, there’s no dedicated stream of funding to support the upkeep of the state’s 10,000 public K-12 schools attended by 5.7 million students.

The majority of the money schools receive from the state every year supports students, staff salaries and other day-to-day expenses. And if you’re wondering, “Wasn’t the lottery supposed to fund schools?” well, it does contribute money to public education, but the amount given to schools has stagnated.

School districts often rely on voters to approve statewide and local bonds to pay for repairs, renovations and new construction. A bond is basically a loan a school district takes out, and property owners in that district pay it back through an increase in property taxes.

More than three-quarters of school bonds statewide have passed since 2001, according to California City Finance, a website that tracks local election outcomes.

Does the state help? 

When it has money. For example, California voters approved $8.5 billion for K-12 campus repairs and new construction through Proposition 2 in 2024.

This money is typically available to schools through matching grants — districts must commit local dollars, often from their own bond, to a project before getting money from the state.

Demand for school repair dollars was so high that schools had already submitted enough project applications to max out the funding set aside for school repairs by the time voters went to the polls. There are close to 600 district projects worth more than $2 billion awaiting future state funds, as of June 30.

There is still funding available for new construction. The demand for this type of funding has declined as districts build fewer schools amid widespread declines in enrollment.

It’s more rare, but the state can also appropriate money for school renovations and construction without a bond. The Legislative Analyst’s Office found the state kicked in an additional $4.6 billion for facilities projects in recent years.

Fees charged on industrial, commercial and residential development are another, though much smaller, source of funding.

How do local bonds work? 

All of the local school bonds in L.A. and Orange counties require a 55% yes vote to pass.

The amount of money a school district can raise is based on a percentage of the total assessed value of all the taxable property in the district.

Is school facilities funding fair?

Research shows the existing facilities funding system favors larger, more affluent school districts.

State funds are given out as matching grants — they require districts to chip in money to get money.

Some wealthier districts can afford to fund projects and wait for future reimbursement, while a lack of funding stops projects in poorer districts from starting at all.

Districts raise funding through property taxes; the amount of money they can bring in through local bond measures is restricted to a certain percentage of a property’s assessed value. Districts with less valuable property can’t raise as much money as districts with pricier homes and commercial developments — even if they have more students or facilities in greater need of repair.

For example, Lynwood Unified voters approved an $80 million bond in 2024. The southeast Los Angeles district of about 10,000 students estimated the bond would cost property owners $50 per $100,000 of assessed value each year.

Meanwhile, Manhattan Beach Unified, which serves about half as many students, expects to raise up to $200 million from its 2024 bond measure while charging a lower property tax rate — an estimated $32 per $100,000 of assessed value each year.

A public interest law firm sued the state of California in October 2025, alleging the current process for distributing school facilities funding illegally favors wealthy school districts. The case is ongoing.

Renovated schools vs. outdated schools

LAist surveyed Southern California districts with bonds this election, and their priorities for funding include:

• Deteriorating roofs, plumbing, heating and cooling systems.
• Aging portable buildings.
• Updating classrooms to better prepare students for college and careers.
• School security systems, including cameras, fencing and locks. 

Throughout California, 38% of K-12 students go to schools that do not meet the minimum standard to be considered clean, safe and functional.

Poorly maintained schools are prone to disruption during extreme weather, like heat waves and winter storms. They may even pose health risks to students and staff.

Research ties the quality of school facilities to student achievement — it’s easier to learn in clean, climate-controlled, well-lit classrooms.

For example, Los Angeles Unified is in the midst of replacing thousands of portable classrooms with new academic buildings.

The San Fernando Valley’s John F. Kennedy High School opened 10 new classrooms in spring 2025. The instructional spaces included flexible seating, new Wi-Fi infrastructure and restrooms accessible to students with disabilities.

How much will this cost? 

The impact of school bonds on property taxes varies from district to district.

To find the average estimated tax associated with your district’s bond, look for the language: “levying $__ per $100,000 of assessed valuation.”

Remember, assessed value is different from market value.

In some cases, residents do not see a property tax increase because the new bond kicks in as a prior one tapers off, so that the cost to property owners is unchanged.

Who is in charge of all this money? 

A school district’s elected board often votes to approve large expenditures, such as construction projects.

State law also requires several accountability measures for local school district bonds, including:

• Independent, annual performance audits of bond-funded projects and spending. 
• The creation of an independent bond oversight committee that includes:
  
  • At least seven members.
  • Representatives of the business community, taxpayers and parents. School district employees, vendors, contractors and consultants cannot be appointed. 

Search for your district’s bond oversight committee website to see upcoming agendas, summaries of past meetings, audits and other information about how the district has spent bond funding.

You can also ask your school district whether it has a facilities master plan. This document is typically created with community input, over the course of months or years, to plan renovation and construction projects.

What critics of school bonds say  

Critics of bonds may say:

• The cost to property owners is too high.
• School districts should not need money for construction when fewer students are attending many Southern California school districts.
• Their school district has not been a good steward of past bond dollars.

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is a frequent opponent of state and local school bonds. The nonprofit is dedicated to upholding Proposition 13, the 1978 constitutional amendment that limited changes to California property taxes.

“We think bond financing has its place, but it should be judicious because it raises property taxes at the local level,” said Susan Shelley, HJTA’s vice president of communications.

The association has not taken a position on any individual local bond in the 2026 general election.

Shelley said voters should carefully consider how a district spent previous bond funding and the plans for future projects.

“You should have confidence that the priorities are right,” Shelley said. “And if they're not, say no and make [the district] come back to you with a better plan.”