'The cost of building schools': Yuba-Sutter school bond measures fail by mostly slim margins

Mar. 28—Final results from the March 5 presidential primary election for Yuba and Sutter counties have been released. Several area school districts sought bonds to fund new schools and major facility projects, but all seven measures failed to pass, with many just barely missing the 55% approval threshold.

Measure S — a $97 million bond that would have funded a new middle school for Marysville Joint Unified School District — resulted in 62.58% of voters voting against. The district has been outspoken about its need for a middle school serving south Yuba County as more homes are built in the area.

Facilities upgrades for all school sites have been a priority for the district in recent years, with some projects being funded by previous bond measures and others like the classroom expansion at Covillaud Elementary School coming to fruition through a combination of district and emergency relief funds. Districtwide, Measure S also would have funded other facilities projects, such as new gyms at Foothill Intermediate School and Lindhurst High School along with various maintenance and modernization projects.

Marysville Joint Unified covers the majority of Yuba County, serving families as far north as Challenge and as far south as Arboga. However, district officials believe there is an inequity between the northern and southern parts of the district, as some schools could struggle to accommodate the growing number of incoming students that coincide with housing developments in south Yuba County.

Had it been passed, Measure S would have helped finance the land acquisition and construction of a new middle school and related facilities, designed to address student housing needs and reduce school overcrowding.

"Amidst burgeoning classrooms and insufficient infrastructure to meet impending state mandates, the question looms large: can our schools sustain additional housing in Yuba County, which celebrated being the county with the largest housing growth? Marysville Joint Unified School District educates almost 70% of the county's students. Our forthcoming dialogue with county officials will delve into crucial discussions on educating the future residents of proposed residential units. The county officials and planning staff must consider the impact of additional housing units on our already overcrowded schools. The education of students and the cost of building schools is not just something that rests entirely on school districts; it is a community-wide issue, and we must all be part of the solution together," Marysville Joint Unified School District Superintendent Fal Asrani told the Appeal.

Critics of Measure S maintained that Marysville Joint Unified should not ask voters for another bond in the current economic climate, with the Yuba County Republican Party suggesting it points to financial mismanagement amid the district's push to modernize its facilities.

According to Asrani, the district does not receive any state funds to build new schools. She spoke on how the failure of Measure S equates to a delay in facilities upgrades, strain on existing facilities, and increased costs in future efforts to build another school site.

"In our unwavering dedication to our county's youth, we were diligent in our efforts — parents, students and staff worked tirelessly to educate and inform. We conducted 15 town hall meetings and over 15 community gatherings. We visited 2,800 homes, disseminated information through mail, and conducted countless phone conversations. However, Measure S's defeat was a loud statement that people are not ready to pay additional taxes to build schools. That then raises the question of how will Marysville Joint Unified house additional students in schools that are already overcrowded? Districts do not receive funds for building schools. So the failure of Measure S may leave a lasting imprint for years to come," Asrani said.

Wheatland Union High School District sought two separate bonds in this election cycle: Measures T and U, which received 54.65% and 42.54% approval respectively. Measure T, a $20 million bond, would have contributed to the construction of Plumas Lake High School and helped address potential overcrowding at Wheatland Union.

Wheatland Union High School District Superintendent Nicole Newman previously explained that Plumas Lake High School is the product of over 10 years of planning and development. In 2012, the district purchased a property along River Oaks Boulevard for a possible school site, knowing that there would eventually be a need for an additional high school.

Wheatland Union High School takes in a significant number of students from both the Wheatland Elementary School District and Plumas Lake Elementary School District. As of now, the high school district serves over 1,100 students in the area, but Newman stated that the district is expected to reach maximum capacity by 2030.

Measure U, an $8.7 million bond, would have funded various facilities and renovation projects for the district, including a new multipurpose room and cafeteria. District officials have previously spoken on the "increasingly insufficient" state of its current cafeteria. Its limitations impact daily meal times and Wheatland Union's ability to host larger school events and assemblies, officials said.

Plumas Lake Elementary School District sought three bonds totaling $53 million for the construction of a new middle school to address growth and overcrowding in the district. Measure V, W and X received 53.85%, 54.14%, and 53.17% voter approval respectively. Each bond would have generated approximately $18 million individually and would have funded separate facilities for a new school site.

Plumas Lake Elementary Superintendent Jeff Roberts previously said that if the measures had passed, the district would also have sought $20 million in state funds after the Nov. 5 election, which would require a match from local funds.

Past efforts from the district to approve bonds for a new school were unsuccessful, resulting in greater costs down the line. Measure D fell short in 2016, missing the two-thirds voter threshold by just 27 votes, Roberts said. Had the measure passed, the district would have been able to invest $20 million into a new school site, which would have already been completed. Measure R, a $45 million bond, also failed to pass in 2022, with 56% of voters approving, but failing to reach the two-thirds threshold.

With the failure of all three measures, district officials will seek other solutions to accommodate students as the district's population grows.

"One thing that is pretty certain is that the expenses for school construction won't decrease and might even rise. Among the alternative ideas suggested by the community were year-round schooling, altering grade configurations across sites to extend the timeline, and transforming one school into a larger entity by incorporating 15-20 portables. Decisions of this nature would ultimately fall into the hands of the school board," officials said.

Sutter Union High School District failed to pass Measure B, which received 53.27% voter approval, and would have issued $13.8 million for facilities improvements, most notably a new athletic stadium and classrooms.