MJUSD highlights growth as it seeks more funding

Oct. 20—In January, the Marysville Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution to declare the district's intent to call a general obligation bond election next year, which could fund several facility improvements if passed and provide solutions to the expected growth at some of its school sites in Yuba County.

A similar effort to pass a bond measure for facility improvements was made during the 2018 general election, the Appeal previously reported. Called Measure J, it would have allowed the district to issue $74 million in bonds to carry out several facilities projects. Despite 51% of voters being in favor of Measure J, it ultimately failed due to state law requiring a 55% supermajority vote in order to pass district bonds.

With district leaders now preparing to make the case to the public for a potential bond measure on the 2024 ballot, officials this week detailed why such a measure would be necessary. According to officials, the district is currently in the "early planning stages" in preparing for a "population boom" of new students within Marysville Joint Unified.

For the 2023/24 school year, the district recorded its "highest growth" with more than 10,500 students. This growth has been spurred by increased development in the county, bringing in more single-family homes and families to the district.

Officials with the district anticipate "hundreds of new students" over the next five years as several planned housing projects slowly become a reality. Some school sites already experience "crowded classrooms," according to the district.

Of the 24 school sites that the district expects to have the "most substantial growth," officials said Edgewater Elementary, Linda Elementary, Arboga Elementary, Yuba Gardens and Lindhurst High School will be the most affected.

"According to Yes to Yuba, an economic development catalyst effort led by Yuba County, 1,000 new family units are expected to be built by 2029," the district said. "The comparatively low cost of new home pricing, reasonably priced rental units and small-town atmosphere, make Yuba County a destination for families with school-age children in the Sacramento region."

Along with the county as a whole, officials in Marysville also anticipate more families as new housing units are planned within city limits through at least 2028.

Randy Davis, president of the Marysville Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees, said it's not just the presence of more families in the area that will increase the need for more district funds, but also state mandates such as transitional kindergarten.

"At the fulcrum of planning for this growth is the current state mandate of providing transitional kindergarten to all 4 year olds by 2026," Davis said in a statement. "This is additional space the schools do not currently have. It was tight this year and we will soon need new classrooms at almost every elementary school."

Officials said because of the transitional kindergarten state mandate, the district will be required to find a way to make or add space to each of its 13 elementary schools as well as monitor the impact on middle schools as students progress through their educational journey.

Marysville Joint Unified School District Superintendent Fal Asrani stressed that providing quality educational opportunities is a responsibility of everyone in the community.

"Whether we have school-age students or not, we all understand that our students are the future," Asrani said in a statement. "Every decision we make must keep their needs, safety and success in the forefront. On one hand we celebrate the addition of new residents to our communities, but on the other we face the daunting question of increased facilities needs."

Even though more is needed, district officials also touted progress that has been made with funding available.

"All of us recognized that our students and staff must have updated classrooms, play areas, science labs, and music and creative spaces," Area 3 Trustee Alisan Hastey said in a statement. "We have been very focused these past few years in taking action on improvements we have long talked about."

Since 2020, the district said it has invested more than $70 million toward several projects. Some of those projects, which are still being completed, include a new Covillaud Elementary building, the remodeling of Foothill Intermediate, and the installation of new track-and-field facilities at Lindhurst High School and Marysville High School. Among other projects that also were completed was $20 million in upgrades for Arboga Elementary in 2022.

"A neighborhood school defines the neighborhood," Area 4 Trustee Seth Stemen said in a statement. "We are doing fabulous work all across the district, updating and constructing new facilities. This amount of work in such a short timeline is pretty impressive. We are committed to making MJUSD schools the best they can be."

The district claims that its leaders have used "every available dollar to improve the learning environment" for Marysville Joint Unified students.

"Having served students in Yuba County for 168 years, our district is one of the oldest and most historic districts in California," Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Jen Passaglia said in a statement. "This provides a challenge and an opportunity every day."

As the district prepares to possibly introduce a new bond measure to fund even more projects it said will be necessary, officials shared where 2006 and 2008 bond dollars were spent. Improvements included the following: — Marysville and Lindhurst high schools: science and math buildings — Ella Elementary and Olivehurst Elementary: classroom buildings — Edgewater Elementary — McKenney Intermediate: gym — Yuba Gardens Intermediate: gym and library — Arboga Elementary: gym and school expansion — Dobbins Elementary: library and office building — Yuba Feather Elementary: classroom building — Browns Valley Elementary: classroom building — Cedar Lane Elementary: building modernization, including administration and classrooms

Area 4 Trustee Doug Criddle said that "as fiscal stewards of the district, we have been responsible and responsive. We will have to come together again to make sure our schools have space and facilities and we ask that our communities join us as we continue to find ways to meet the growing enrollment needs."

The district said some major projects identified by community leaders and staff members include building a new middle school in Linda, a new gym for sports and activities at Lindhurst High School and Foothill Intermediate and a new auditorium to replace the historic Marysville auditorium, which will require millions to either bring into state compliance or be torn down and rebuilt.

"These too are long-time requests that must be completed along with addressing aging facilities, more classrooms, and upgraded sports and arts opportunities at schools," the district said.