Board Brief

During the June 13, 2024 meeting, Dr. Andy Johnsen shared an update highlighting the recent 2024 Graduation ceremonies in SMUSD.

Dr. Johnsen also provided a preview of key Board meeting items for the evening, including the Local Control Accountability Plan, or LCAP. Dr. Johnsen explained the LCAP is a part of the larger SMUSD Governance Structure that also includes the Strategic Plan, Vision for all students, Core Values and Mission.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Erin Garcia, along with Rachel Chang-Kwei from Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates and Jared Boigon from TeamCivix, provided an update to the Board and community regarding a potential 2024 general obligation bond measure.

Garcia began by sharing multiple facilities accomplishments that have been completed since the 2010 Prop K bond measure including a brand new San Marcos High School, La Costa Meadows Elementary School, and La Mirada Academy. Garcia also shared other facilities improvements including Richland Elementary School, the Double Peak School Kindergarten wing, and a new Ag Farm.

Garcia also shared that SMUSD currently has pressing facilities improvement needs that SMUSD does not receive funding to repair. These needs include replacing lead pipes, deteriorating roofs, HVAC systems, as well as the replacement of 146 existing portable buildings that are especially vulnerable to structural damage and water leaks. Garcia then shared the Future Facilities Implementation Plan that includes three phases of work and projects that are the most pressing.

Survey results were then shared of community feedback illustrating growing support for a potential bond measure, along with detailing the school funding shortfall, the general obligation bond analysis, as well as the community outreach conducted to date.

“After over half a dozen town hall meetings and surveying the community at large, staff, families, and business partners, the feedback we have received has been highly-supportive,” said Dr. Johnsen.

After careful consideration and hearing feedback from the community, the Board approved a Resolution to move forward with placing a general obligation bond measure on the November 2024 ballot.

A second Resolution was also approved that specifically includes an emphasis on implementing best practices as recommended by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) to provide ample transparency to our community and remain good fiscal stewards of taxpayer dollars, with any future general obligation bond measure.

Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Tiffany Campbell and Director of Special Projects, Dr. Spencer Wavra, provided a presentation and update to the Board, prior to conducting the required public hearing, regarding the specific actions and expenditures proposed in the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP).

School districts receive funding from different sources from the State under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) which provides school districts flexibility, or local control, on how to best spend these funds. As a result, school districts must work with parents, educators, students, and the community to develop the LCAP.

The plan must outline goals to improve students’ overall achievement as well as how they will serve specific student populations including foster youth, homeless youth, English learners, and low-income students.

Dr. Campbell and Dr. Wavra explained the draft 2024-27 Local Control Accountability Plan, which is the first year of the new three-year plan and has multiple actions with four district goals that are aligned to our Strategic Promise:

1) Future Ready Students: All SMUSD students engage in the purposeful integration of rigorous academic content and relevant experiences that develop the Portrait of a Graduate competencies.

2) Future Ready Learning Environments: All SMUSD classrooms and campuses are welcoming places where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.

3) Future Ready Educators: All SMUSD teachers, support staff, and administrators feel valued and supported by hiring, onboarding, evaluation, professional learning, and training practices that enable them to create Future Ready learning environments.

4) Future Ready Systems: All SMUSD systems are designed to support the successful development of Future Ready students, educators, and learning environments.

Feedback on the LCAP is still being accepted and can be submitted on the website by clicking here.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Erin Garcia, shared a presentation and update to the Board, which also served as the introduction to the public hearing for the District's 2024-25 Adopted Budget & 2023-24 Estimated Actuals Budget Report.

Garcia explained at this time the State Legislature is expected to approve the State Budget by June 15th, and the Governor is expected to sign off on the budget by late June. Due to the State Budget not yet being finalized, Garcia outlined the budget assumptions used to create the District’s 2024-25 budget, including the Governor's May Revise, utilizing the projected cost of living adjustment (COLA) percentages, the Transportation reimbursement to expand home-to-school bus service, and special education estimates. Garcia explained the District is projecting to receive $309.5 million in revenues.

Garcia also shared several items impacting the Budget expenditures, including continued increases in salaries & benefits and STRS & PERS retirement system contributions, all COVID relief funds now completely spent, arts & music funding, electricity bill reductions, and capital outlay. Garcia explained the District is projecting to receive $336.9 million in expenditures.

Garcia also shared that based on Multi-Year Projections (MYP) we are projecting a small surplus the 23/24 year, but in the following years, deficits are projected. As a result, a budget adjustment of $3 million will be necessary in the 2025-26 school year and following year. This is largely due to lower cost of living adjustment, or COLA, not keeping pace with rising operating costs, as well as declining enrollment.

Garcia recommended the Board approve the budget at the next Governing Board meeting to take place on June 20, 2024 to meet the statutory deadlines. If there are significant differences in the final enacted State budget and the district’s Adopted budget, an update will be presented at the August Board meeting.

For a complete and detailed overview of any of the items above, please see the full Board Meeting Agenda by clicking here.

For a link to the Board Briefs on the SMUSD website, please click here.

To watch a video of the Board meeting, please click here.