Key Updates on OUSD 3/25 Agenda

School Facilities: Aging Buildings and Too Much Empty Space

The district is presenting a long-term plan for its school buildings.

What the Plan Shows

• It would cost about $3.5 billion to fully repair and update school facilities.
• Most school buildings are very old — many were built between the 1920s and 1970s — and need major upgrades or replacement.

Common concerns across schools include:

• Lack of air conditioning or cooling systems
• Ongoing water quality issues
• Many portable classrooms are worn out but still used every day.
• The district has too many small schools and not enough students to fill them.
• Overall, schools are only using about 60% of their available space, meaning a lot of buildings are underused.

Why This Matters
Maintaining so many old and under-enrolled schools is extremely expensive and adds pressure to an already strained budget.

Even though the plan doesn’t directly propose closing or merging schools, the reality is: It may be impossible to fix all buildings without making tough decisions about how many schools the district can realistically operate.

‍

Student Transportation: High Costs and Limited Access

What’s Happening

• The district does not provide transportation for most general education students.
• Middle and high school students rely on public transit.
• The district does provide transportation for students with disabilities, as required by their learning plans.
• This specialized transportation costs about $16.4 million total, or nearly $12,000 per student.

Why This Matters
While some state funding helps cover these costs, the district still has to use its own budget to ensure students get to school.

The high cost of special education transportation raises important questions about whether there are more efficient ways to provide these services, especially as the district faces major budget cuts.

‍

Budget Decisions: Tension Between Priorities and Reality

A proposal is being considered that would protect certain school staff and programs, including:

• Ensuring larger schools have additional support staff
• Maintaining middle school electives
• Keeping current sports program staffing
• Expanding access to early childhood (TK) programs

Why This Matters
These supports are valuable for students and they cost money.

At the same time, the district is planning major budget cuts and staff reductions to close a large deficit. The staffing levels currently planned for schools already reflect those financial realities.

If these positions and programs are added back, the district’s budget gap could grow even larger.

‍

Our Take on OUSD’s Budget

OUSD is facing a difficult balancing act:

• Aging buildings that need major investment
• Rising costs in key areas like transportation
• And a shrinking budget that forces tough tradeoffs

Families deserve clear, honest communication about these choices and a real opportunity to shape the decisions that will impact their schools.

‍

Key Questions Families Should Be Asking

• How will the district balance fixing school buildings with the reality that many campuses are under-enrolled?
• Is it realistic to invest billions in facilities without considering school consolidation or closures?
• How can the district reduce the high cost of transportation, especially for specialized services?
• What happens to the budget if additional staffing and programs are restored?
• What is the risk of the district losing financial control if it cannot balance its budget?