• There is an 8-year gap between today and the last bond in 2016. This is much longer than the scheduling of prior bonds. Additionally, early bonds focused on accessibility improvements rather than facility updates, so school modernizations only really began in 2011. In just 13 years, SFUSD’s Bond programs have made a huge impact on our schools. Without a bond, there are still critical needs for building safety and core functions that would have to be completed and would have to come out of the district’s operating budget - which would take resources away from classrooms. In 2022, the District sold its remaining 2016 authorization, which means it has no additional bonds to sell without a new measure.

  • No. Given this bond's planned pace of investment and overall size, the District’s financial advisor has modeled that this bond proposal would not raise taxes. The District is retiring debt from previous bonds responsibly, and taxes related to this bond would replace prior taxes, not increase them.

  • School bonds can only be used for facility improvements and maintenance. This bond proposes six investment categories:  

    • Seismic and security upgrades
    • Improving the core functionality of SFUSD schools, including updating HVAC
    • Providing a new central food hub for Student Nutrition Services to ensure food security and healthy meals for all SFUSD students
    • School site modernizations
    • Expanding the schoolyard outdoor learning program as we pivot schoolyards as classrooms beyond PE and athletics
    • Continuing our partnership with the Department of Technology to make necessary network upgrades 
  • At least 55% of voters must approve the bond measure on the November 2024 ballot for it to pass.

  • Bond projects are chosen using the 2023 Facilities Condition Assessment data, site visits, work orders, and ongoing site evaluations. The Bond Program and the Facilities Department work together to ensure alignment with the 2023 Facilities Master Plan (FMP), which outlines SFUSD maintenance and capital priorities. If approved in November 2024, the Bond Program will announce the next set of modernization sites by early 2025.

  • A bond measure for SFUSD benefits all residents, whether or not they have children in the district. Improved school facilities and resources enhance property values and attract businesses, strengthening the local economy. Great schools also contribute to a more educated and safe community, in addition to a better-skilled workforce in the future.

    • Within three months of approval, a comprehensive report detailing the 2024 Bond objectives, investment categories, prioritization criteria, accountability measures, and commitments will be published.
    • The Board of Education (BOE) will provide quarterly reports, and members will receive annual workshops on the program's status and finances. The BOE can then ensure the bond implementation aligns with the 2023 Facilities Master Plan (FMP).
    • California law requires oversight of public school bonds which led to the creation of the SFUSD Bond Program Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC). The CBOC will produce a quarterly report on the bond’s progress, expenditures, audits and other financial reports. 
    • As the CA Education Code mandates, an independent auditor will complete annual financial and performance audits. A yearly bond staff financial report summarizing bond expenditures and investments for the preceding fiscal year will coincide with this.