Politics & Government
Schools Consider $193M Bond Measure
Check out this chart to see how much it will cost to modernize your child's school.
Basically, it's going to cost hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade to upgrade the 34 campuses in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
At Wednesday's meeting, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of trustees will hear about the school district facility needs from Brett McFadden, the chief business officer for the district. Also, community members can share their two cents with elected officials.
The entire project, including upgrading district transportation and food service facilities, comes in at $242,201,471. A possible $193 million bond measure the school board is considering would cover the majority of those costs.
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, a group of parents, coaches and staff from came forward to ask the board to move forward with the bond measure so PVHS could build the athletic facilities the district's newest school lacks.
PVHS coaches talked about the value of having home field advantage, the pride of practicing and competing at the student-athletes' own schools, and the sheer logistics of moving kids around to other district facilities for practices and games.
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While PV High is without sports facilities, its rival, , needs massive amounts of basic improvements. The historic campus—with its oldest portions built in 1937—will cost more than $20 million to repair and upgrade. That's the priciest school improvement project in the district.
"Many of the buildings on this campus have had minimal or no previous modernization work. These facilities are in need of extensive upgrades," the Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan said.
The school board will decide about the bond measure later this month. The bond could go on the ballot in June or November. It could range from $36-$51 annual property tax per $100,000 assessed value.
This chart shows the estimated construction costs for each school campus, not including inflation, architect fees and soft costs. Add about 57 percent to each total to calculate the complete cost of each project.
Construction Cost (estimated)
Elementary Amesti 1958 789 $1,121,876 Ann Soldo 1999 688 $300,585 Bradley 1950 564 $1,716,872 Calabasas 1961 826 $1,836,400 Freedom 1962 878 $1,883,531 Hall District 1961 698 $1,721,213 H.A. Hyde 1952 748 $2,182,861 Landmark 2004 725 $591,297 MacQuiddy 1949 698 $2,184,241 Mar Vista 517 $1,733,446 Mintie White 1928 625 $5,423,358 Ohlone 1988 600 $1,460,409 Radcliff 1928 475 $300,300 Rio Del Mar 1962 655 $1,809,637 Starlight 1988 789 $1,498,542 Valencia 1948 640 $1,575,586 Middle Aptos Junior 1967 783 $2,832,599 Cesar Chavez 1971 751 $1,590,020 E.A. Hall 1936 945 $9,755,463 Lakeview 1992 1019 $1,483,502 Pajaro 1948 675 $1,312,883 Rolling Hills 1965 918 $2,956,539 High Aptos 1967 1,670 $3,153,694 Pajaro Valley 2003 2,349 $6,437,973 Watsonville 1937 2,792 $20,712,669 Renaissance 1965 500 $1,181,096 New School 2006 72 $142,756 Charter Alianza 1948 601 $3,041,994 Academic Vocational Charter Institute 2007 108 $514,978 Ceiba College Preparatory Academy rents 297 $173,888, looking fora new space Duncan Holbert Academy 1976 $225,048 Linscott 1928 274 $289,383 Pacific Coast 125 looking for a new space Watsonville Charter School for the Arts 1961 297 $572,342
The Comprehensive Facilities Master Plan produced by the school district details the needs of each campus. It's attached to this story as a PDF within the school board agenda packet. Elementary schools start on page 26, middle schools on page 96, high schools on page 124 and charter schools on page 144.
The school board meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday in the school district board room, 292 Green Valley Rd.
Would you support a bond measure (and tax increase) to improve Watsonville-area schools?
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