School districts seek more than $274 million this November

Correction: A previous version of this article gave an incorrect number for how many students are in the San Miguel Joint Union School District. It has 850 students.

Four local school districts — from North County to South County — are looking for a collective $274.05 million in bonds this November to finance improvements.

For all of the measures, the money would be used for facilities or technology improvements, not for teacher or administrator salaries, and would be monitored by a citizen oversight committee. They each require 55 percent of the vote in their respective districts to win.

Before you cast your vote Nov. 8, here’s a quick look at the proposed measures and what the money would go to:

Measure I-16: Lucia Mar

The San Luis Obispo County’s largest school district has an aging infrastructure problem.

According to the Lucia Mar Unified School District, many of the district’s 18 schools aren’t up to par for “21st century instruction,” including several that have been in continued use for more than 60 years. In short, they need some modernization.

To fix this, the district, which serves about 10,700 students, is asking voters to approve a $170 million bond measure — the largest school bond measure being sought this election cycle.

Each school would have at least one of these major improvement projects under Measure I-16: updating classroom technology; improving technological career vocational facilities; adding new science classrooms; enhancing visual and performing arts and athletics facilities; upgrading roofing and plumbing; increasing security and security fencing; and replacing portable classrooms with permanent classrooms.

The bond would cost property owners, on average, about $41.01 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. The final bond for the new measure would likely be issued by 2024.

The district is still paying off two other bond debts from measures passed in 1997 and 2004 to fund construction of Nipomo High School and improvements at Arroyo Grande High School, though those debts are expected to be paid off by 2024.

Measure M-16: Paso Robles

The Paso Robles Unified School District bond measure is very similar to the proposed Lucia Mar measure in terms of how the funds would be used (mainly modernization of campuses), though there is one key difference: Paso Robles is looking to sell about $95 million in bonds over the course of 10 years, rather than $170 million over eight.

The money from Measure M-16 would go to constructing career technical and vocational education classrooms; undertaking basic health and safety improvements at its schools; repairing and replacing leaky roofs; installing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) labs at schools throughout the district; replacing portable classrooms with permanent classrooms; and retrofitting schools and classrooms for earthquake safety.

Measure M-16 would cost property owners in the district an average of $47.75 per $100,000 of assessed value.

The North County school district serves about 6,800 students. Its last bond measure to be approved was in 2006 — a $20 million bond measure to expand and upgrade Paso Robles High School.

Measure D-16: San Miguel

The San Miguel Joint Unified School District is seeking $5.9 million through Measure D-16 to fund major improvements at the small district’s two elementary schools.

The funds would pay for constructing and equipping modular buildings for science labs, art and music rooms as well as a woodshop and robotics/high-tech labs at both schools; upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; installing security fencing and monitoring systems; renovating the schools’ kitchen; installing solar panels; preparing for more portable classrooms; and improving athletic fields.

At Lillian Larsen Elementary School, the money would additionally go toward adding a patio shade structure off the gym and replacing the roof on the administration and library building.

At Cappy Culver Elementary School, it would also renovate the cafeteria and help add parking.

The measure would cost property owners, on average, about $28.55 per $100,000 of assessed value.

The school district, which has about 850 students, has not sought a bond measure in the past decade.

Measure K-16: Shandon

Shandon Joint Unified School District is looking to issue about $3.15 million in bonds over the next three years to fund facilities improvements at its three schools.

Measure K-16 would fund roof and septic system repairs; update wiring and electrical systems; upgrade school communication systems and fire alarms; remodel existing buildings at Parkfield Elementary; replace portable classrooms; and remove asbestos.

Measure K-16 would cost property owners in the district about $34.44 per $100,000 of assessed value.

The school district, which has about 240 students, has not sought a bond measure in the past decade.

This story was originally published October 13, 2016 at 6:28 PM with the headline "School districts seek more than $274 million this November."