It’s a good time to be a student and parent at Clovis Unified. Test scores are high, and the district is rolling in cash as property values have surged by more than 40% over the last five years.
This fall, Clovis Unified officials hope to keep taxes low and the good times rolling with Measure A, a $400 million extension of the district’s existing school bond tax.
The measure, which would extend the district’s existing school bond tax without raising rates, would fund the completion of Clovis South High School. It also potentially funds 75% of the district’s overall infrastructure needs, including critical upgrades to aging facilities. Tax rates for the district are currently at an all-time low for residents.
For CUSD residents, Measure A is a no-brainer, said assistant superintendent and facilities expert Denver Stairs.
“We believe that our facilities are part of the learning environment, and so we continue to ensure that when kids show up and they’re sitting in the classroom, that they have the best possible space to engage in learning.”
Measure A’s spending list came from a district-wide needs assessment conducted by a 40-person citizen’s committee.
If passed by voters this fall, Measure A would cap off a remarkable 25-year run for the Valley’s highest-performing school district. Tax rates in the district have remained at rock-bottom levels because of rising property values which have financed a nearly 200% increase in CUSD’s tax base per student since 2000, adjusted for inflation.
Today, local funding generated per kid has never been higher in the district’s history, adjusted for inflation. Clovis Unified’s tax rate is the same today as it has been since 2012 – lower than Fresno, Central and Sanger Unified school districts.
The CUSD school bond is so popular, it’s got endorsements ranging from anti-tax groups like the San Joaquin Valley Taxpayers Association to U.S. Open Champion and Clovis East alumni Bryson DeChambeau.
It’s a bounty that even makes Stairs blush.
“We’re blessed to have a community that has continued to allow us to pour [resources] into our facilities and give back to our kids.”
How did Measure A projects get identified?
At its July 17 meeting, the Clovis Unified Governing Board voted to place the $400 million facility bond on the November ballot.
The 40-member volunteer group spent six months assessing maintenance and construction needs across the district’s more than 50 schools and campuses. They also evaluated the district’s finances and resources available for these projects.
In their assessment, the committee identified $550 million in critical needs at existing schools. These included repairs, modernization efforts, safety and technology improvements, and construction of additional classrooms and academic spaces to address ongoing enrollment growth and current overcrowding.
Without the renewal of the bond measure, Clovis Unified does not have the money to pay for these needed projects, according to CUSD’s Stairs.
What is going to get funded?
Top among them is a $21 million overhaul of Nelson Elementary in the Clovis West Area that was built in 1957.
“That school was built in the 1950s and they have their original kitchen that we’re still trying to use,” said district spokesperson Kelly Avants.
“I know that the community [Nelson] is really excited for that and deserves to be updated,” Stairs added.
Measure A will also fund the final phases of Clovis South High School. The planned budget increased over 100% during the pandemic, going from $260 million to $570 million, according to Stairs.
Facing this steep increase, district officials have had to balance fiscal responsibility with their commitment to having top-notch high schools in every corner of its territory.
“We’re currently sitting at $480 million. And we’ve actually reduced over $90 million worth of scope. We’ve omitted entire buildings to bring that price down,” Stairs said.
“We’re being diligent, removing what we can but in order to deliver and give an equitable campus to our community.”
But it’s not all about shiny new buildings. The district is taking a hard look at its existing infrastructure, allocating nearly $184 million for improvements, repairs, and safety upgrades.
Measure A will address climate change warning signs from 2023 rains
In spring 2023, historic rainfall forced the closure of Clovis High School for several days due to water leaks. The incident prompted a district-wide audit of facilities due to concerns about similar vulnerabilities at other schools. The program resulted in upgrades to roofs and HVAC systems across the district in the last couple years, with some remaining needs in the district to be funded by Measure A.
“We’ve done a very large HVAC project across the district the last couple of years,” Stairs said. “We’ve audited all of our secondary schools, and we have a prioritized list of which ones need to be repaired.”
“This is not the ‘fun project’”,” Stairs joked. “But it’s stuff that is absolutely paramount to keeping kids in class.”
Overall, Measure A’s $184 million repair-and-safety spending bucket includes $71 million for school modernizations and $46 million for building infrastructure improvements.
In a nod to both fiscal and environmental responsibility, Clovis Unified also plans to invest $23.6 million in energy upgrades. Safety, a top concern for parents and educators alike, hasn’t been overlooked, with $35.7 million dedicated to enhancing security measures across the district.
“We have really deeply rooted beliefs in our district about taking care of our schools and we invest in maintaining them to the absolute best of our ability,” said Avants.
“If you appreciate the quality of our schools and recognize that those were investments made by community members … [Measure A] is the path to keep that in place.”
Endorsements
- Lincoln Club of Fresno County
- San Joaquin Valley Taxpayers Association
- Association of Clovis Educators
- Clovis Chamber of Commerce
- Fresno Chamber of Commerce
- Nathan Magsig, Chairman, Fresno County Board of Supervisors
- Bryson DeChambeau, U.S. Open Champion
- Corrine Folmer, Clovis Unified Superintendent
- Norm Anderson, Clovis Unified Deputy Superintendent
- Susan Rutledge, Clovis Unified Assistant Superintendent
- Eimear O’Brien, Superintendent (Ret.)
- Janet Young, Superintendent (Ret.)
- Tiffany Stoker-Madsen, Trustee
- Hugh Awtrey, Trustee
- Clint Olivier, Trustee
- Yolanda Moore, Trustee
Who is funding the campaign for Measure A?
Mostly developers and contractors – for a total of over $320,000 raised so far.
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