Sunnyvale School District recently approved a bond measure for the March 5, 2024 election. To help voters understand the scope of Measure C, the District Digest is publishing the following Frequently Asked Questions. This document will also be available in printed form in the front offices of school sites and the District.
What is Measure C?
Measure C is a $214 million school bond to continue the renovation and modernization of all district schools, providing students and teachers with comparable classrooms and facilities. The bond will help provide schools with long-term facility maintenance funds and updated instructional technology. Sunnyvale Middle School needs to be modernized to the same standards as other schools in the district.
If voters approve Measure C, the district has committed to these initial projects:
- Fix or replace leaky roofs and windows
- Improve accessibility for students with disabilities
- Expand counseling facilities to support the mental health of students
- Update classrooms, science labs, and technology to meet current instructional standards
- Upgrade and improve school safety and security
- Modernize Sunnyvale Middle School
How will Measure C impact the operating costs of the school district?
In the long term, Measure C will save the district funds by making the schools more energy efficient. The heating, ventilating, and plumbing systems are old and inefficient. New energy-efficient systems will save the district funds that can be spent directly for the benefit of students in the classrooms at our schools.
How will I know these bond funds will be spent as planned?
The School Board adopted a very specific resolution when calling for the election. All of the construction projects are listed in the resolution as outlined in the District’s Facilities Master Plan. In addition, the District is required to appoint an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee to monitor and review all bond expenditures. This volunteer committee of local residents and taxpayers will make sure that all bond funds are spent as planned for the benefit of local students.
How much will Measure C cost me?
Measure C will cost property owners $15 per $100,000 of Assessed Valuation (not market value).
Can senior citizens apply for an exemption from Measure C?
No. There are no exemptions provided for in the law that define how a general obligation bond is structured. Low-income senior citizens can if they choose to, apply to have their taxes deferred under the provisions of State property tax law.
Can bond funds be used to pay teacher or administrator salaries?
No. By law, bond funds can only pay for school construction projects and school facility furnishings and equipment. None of the funds can be spent on administrator or teacher salaries.
What about lottery funds?
State lottery monies cannot be used to fund these school projects. State law expressly prohibits schools from using lottery funds for school construction projects. (CA Government Code Section 8880.5).
Won’t the State provide the district with the funding it needs to address these projects?
Currently, there are not sufficient state funds to cover the district’s facility needs, but the passage of Measure C will provide the district with potential matching dollars if the state passes another bond in the future.
How does Measure C benefit the broader community?
Strong public schools are at the very heart of our community. New families move here for the schools. Empty nesters stay here for the quality of life fostered in a community that values education. Strong schools improve real estate values in the best of times and stabilize home values when the market is low.
if measure C gets approved when we can start to see the improvement??