2024 Bond Measure H Information
Background - 2024 Bond Measure H | Click Here to Learn More
Background on 2024 Bond Measure H
Despite the high-quality instruction offered in SCSD schools, our neighborhood campuses are aging, with some structures reaching 50-60+ years old. Deteriorating roofs, plumbing, heating, and building systems require rehabilitation. Many classrooms, originally built in the 1960s, lack sufficient electrical capacity, and their safety systems require ongoing upgrades. With the rapid advancement of technology, learning spaces and library buildings throughout our campuses would greatly benefit from updated technological systems and workstations.
In line with our commitment to future planning, we continuously assess our facilities' needs. Measure H outlines a plan to address these identified needs in facilities and technology within the San Carlos School District.
Measure H seeks to provide funding for facility improvements outlined in the district's updated Facilities Master Plan (FMP) over the next decade. Developed in collaboration with our community, the FMP identifies over $400 million in necessary improvements district-wide. These improvements are categorized into four phases:
- Phase 1: Climate Ready Projects, focusing on climate readiness and promoting healthy school environments.
- Phase 2: Transitional Kindergarten and Building Systems, which involves reconfiguring or expanding classroom spaces to support the implementation of universal TK.
- Phase 3: Dynamic Learning Environments, encompassing enhancements for early childhood education, outdoor learning spaces, nutrition services, and flexible collaboration areas.
- Phase 4: Future Ready Projects, which include long-term building lifecycle replacements tailored to each school site.
Frequently Asked Questions about 2024 Bond Measure H | Click Here to Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions about 2024 Bond Measure H
Measure H Project Summary:
- PROVIDING secure, healthy, and safe learning spaces for all students.
- REPAIRING or rehabilitating classrooms, restrooms, and roofs.
- IMPROVING fire safety, school security systems and accessibility for students with disabilities.
- UPGRADING infrastructure such as heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical systems, and gas lines.
- UPDATING science, technology, engineering, arts, and math classrooms.
- PROVIDING facilities needed for Transitional Kindergarten to all four-year-olds by 2025 – required by new state mandates.
Our dedicated school district maintenance and operations staff members work hard to keep our schools
safe and well-maintained on a tight budget. Our current list of facility needs, including repairs and upgrades to outdated security, HVAC, roofing and electrical systems, new classroom construction, classroom upgrades, and installing new technology, far exceeds our available allotment for school facilities maintenance.
In the past, State funding has been available to support local school upgrades, but we cannot count on this uncertain source of funding. Moreover, to access state funding, school districts MUST generate local matching funds by passing a local school bond measure. Passing a local bond is a way to qualify for additional State funding if and when it becomes available. There are no other sources of funding for major facility upgrades.
If approved by voters, a $176 million bond translates to about $30 per year for every $100,000 of assessed valuation. The assessed valuation refers to taxable value, not the market value of your home. The average homeowner in our school district will pay about $365 a year, or $30 a month.
Taxpayer protections are REQUIRED. This measure requires independent citizen oversight and reports
to the community to ensure the funds are spent as promised.
Are there any key projects the district is looking to develop with these funds?
District-wide Projects Include:
- Acquire and install and/or replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC units)
- Repair or replace roofs
- Replace windows and doors
- Construct Early Learning Centers and improve and/or expand Transitional Kindergarten facilities and learning spaces
- Acquire, replace, upgrade and or install security, health and safety improvements and systems, including lighting, fencing, smoke detectors, fire alarms, sprinklers, security alarms, and emergency communication systems
- Construct, improve and/or renovate restroom facilities
Our current list of facility needs includes repairs and upgrades to outdated security, upgrading and installing new HVAC/Air Conditioning, plumbing & electrical systems, and new classroom construction.
What would it mean to the district if the Measure didn't pass?
In the past, State funding has been available to support local school upgrades, but we cannot count on this uncertain source of funding. Moreover, to access state funding, school districts MUST generate local matching funds by passing a local school bond measure. Passing a local bond is a way to qualify for additional State funding if and when it becomes available. There are no other sources of funding for major facility upgrades.
How will the district ensure the funds are spent responsibly if it is?
All funds raised stay local to support SCSD school facility improvements. The State can't take this funding away. This Board will establish an Independent Citizen Oversight Committee to provide annual performance and financial audits to ensure the funds are spent as promised. By law, no Measure H monies can be used for employee salaries, benefits or pensions.
What technology upgrades need to be made?
The technology updates needed have to do with the upgrade of infrastructure to support the increase in technology use. Cybersecurity and bandwidth demands have increased.
How are students in the San Carlos School District performing on standardized tests?
At the January Board Meeting, Assistant Superintendent Hans Barber shared the students results on the most recent California Dashboard. San Carlos students in grades 3-8 tested in Spring 2023, continued to outperform state and local averages and groups further behind made progress in both reading and math. You may have seen the recent story in the New York Times, grading each school district on how they have recovered post-pandemic. SCSD remained one of the top performers nationwide. In fact, the article graded our math scores as almost a full year ahead of where they were in 2016 (2+ years ahead in 2016, 3+ years ahead in 2023). This is a testament to our focus on the whole child, and the hard work of our students, teachers, and staff, and our strong sense of community.
The last day to register for the March 2024 election is February 20, 2024. All California active registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or at your county elections office.
“To improve elementary and middle schools by repairing aging classrooms, leaky roofs, heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems; upgrading science, technology, engineering, arts and math classrooms; and improving fire and safety systems and accessibility for students; shall San Carlos School District’s measure authorizing $176,000,000 in bonds at legal rates, levying approximately $30 per $100,000 of assessed value ($7,400,000 annually) while bonds are outstanding, be adopted, with citizens oversight/audits, no funds for administrator salaries, all funds spent locally?”
Background on 2024 Bond Measure H
As the primary provider of TK-8 public education in the area, the San Carlos School District (SCSD) is committed to two main priorities: ensuring academic success for all of our 3,000+ students and maintaining safe, modern, and well-equipped campuses across our nine school campuses.
Despite the high-quality instruction offered in SCSD schools, our neighborhood campuses are aging, with some structures reaching 50-60+ years old. Deteriorating roofs, plumbing, heating, and building systems require rehabilitation. Many classrooms, originally built in the 1960s, lack sufficient electrical capacity, and their safety systems require ongoing upgrades. With the rapid advancement of technology, learning spaces and library buildings throughout our campuses would greatly benefit from updated technological systems and workstations.
In line with our commitment to future planning, we continuously assess our facilities' needs. Measure H outlines a plan to address these identified needs in facilities and technology within the San Carlos School District.
Measure H seeks to provide funding for facility improvements outlined in the district's updated Facilities Master Plan (FMP) over the next decade. Developed in collaboration with our community, the FMP identifies over $400 million in necessary improvements district-wide. These improvements are categorized into four phases:
- Phase 1: Climate Ready Projects, focusing on climate readiness and promoting healthy school environments.
- Phase 2: Transitional Kindergarten and Building Systems, which involves reconfiguring or expanding classroom spaces to support the implementation of universal TK.
- Phase 3: Dynamic Learning Environments, encompassing enhancements for early childhood education, outdoor learning spaces, nutrition services, and flexible collaboration areas.
- Phase 4: Future Ready Projects, which include long-term building lifecycle replacements tailored to each school site.
To address these pressing needs, the San Carlos School District Board of Education has approved placing a $176 million bond measure on the March 5, 2024 ballot.