Frequently Asked Questions

How are San Marino Unified School District schools doing?

 

San Marino Unified School District (SMUSD) is nationally and globally recognized as a leader in academics, arts, and athletics with high quality teachers and strong academic programs that help students succeed in college and in the workforce. We are proud of our community schools, all of which have been recognized with state and national awards for excellence. 

 

What challenges are San Marino schools facing?

 

SMUSD is forward thinking and values the support of our community as we work together to maintain student achievement and high-quality learning in our schools. Some San Marino schools were built over 50 years ago, and as a result are aging and need basic safety, technology and educational updates and improvements. Some schools and classrooms have outdated electrical wiring and require updates to science and engineering labs. This past year, schools were flooded due to the heavy rains, and some classrooms didn’t have sufficient heat on some days or air-conditioning on others.

 

How is San Marino Unified School District planning to address these issues?

 

To address the needs facing our schools, SMUSD and the Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC) spent the last year working in close collaboration with LPA, a well-respected school architecture, design, and engineering expert to assess the condition of every school and classroom in the District to provide long-term facilities master planning for our four schools.

 

SMUSD’s Measure M for Funding Repairs & Improvements

 

The State provides very limited funding for facilities, and our District has limited resources to maintain safe, modern learning environments. Maintaining the quality of our schools helps keep our community strong and protect local property values.

 

To ensure that all students have access to safe and modern educational facilities and continue our excellence in education, the SMUSD Board of Education unanimously voted to place a $200 million school improvement bond measure, Measure M, on the November 2024 ballot. Without increasing existing tax rates, the measure will extend the current rate previously approved by voters at $60 per $100,000 of assessed (not market) value for so long as bonds are outstanding.

 

Measure M is subject to strict fiscally accountability including ensuring that every dollar will only be used in SMUSD schools, public disclosure of spending, annual audits, and independent citizen oversight. 

 

Specifically, what could Measure M do?

 

If passed, this locally controlled funding could be used to:

• Modernize classrooms, labs and technology to support college and career readiness
• Repair classrooms to fix damaged ceilings, leaky roofs, and electrical systems
• Address and prevent flood damage, including fixing outdated plumbing
• Upgrade fire safety, security cameras, heating and air conditioning, and ensure safe drinking water

 

How much would Measure M cost?

 

Without increasing tax rates, Measure M would extend the current rate previously approved by voters at $60 per $100,000 of assessed (not market) valuation for as long as bonds are outstanding. Assessed value is based on the original purchase price of a home and is often lower than market value, particularly for those residents that have owned their homes for a long time.

 

How do I know funds would be used responsibly?

 

Measure M includes fiscal accountability protections:

• All money raised would stay local and be spent in San Marino Unified School District to support our students 
• No funds could be taken away by the State or spent in other districts 
• By law, no money from any bond measure could be used for administrators’ salaries or benefits
• It would require a clear system of accountability, including a Citizens’ Oversight Committee and independent audits to ensure the money is spent properly

 

I don’t have children attending local schools. How does this impact me?

 

Even if you don't have children attending local schools, investing in quality education yields benefits for the entire community. Well-maintained and high-performing schools enhance local property values and prepare the next generation of leaders, innovators, and workers essential to our community's growth.

 

What level of support does Measure M need to pass?  

 

Measure M needs to be supported by 55% of voters for it to pass. All registered voters living in the San Marino Unified School District are eligible to vote on the measure on the November 2024 ballot.