Measure J1 is a bond measure that was passed by voters on the November 8, 2016 ballot to fund critical facility upgrades and improvements for San Leandro schools.

Thanks to the passage of Measure J1, the San Leandro Unified School District has funds available to support student learning through technology upgrades and and facility enhancements. The funds come from issuance of a series of bonds to occur over a period of 6 years.

The State of California pays for the costs of running a school district -- including salaries for teachers and staff and school supplies. However, state tax revenue is not provided to school districts for major construction projects such as renovating and modernizing school sites. These type of construction projects are called ‘capital improvements’ – and each community is responsible for raising money to pay for such repairs and projects.

Many of our school district's permanent buildings were built decades ago, with two schools celebrating their 100th anniversaries recently.  As such, several are in need of repairs and renovations to meet new building standards and serve the students with a better learning environment. We also recognize the need for bringing 21st century learning into our schools in the way of technology which is a top priority.

All work will occur in three phases over the course of six years. Phase One began in Summer 2017.

Phase 1:

•   Technology upgrades for students and staff

•   Improving heating/ventilation systems

•   Roof and plumbing repairs

•   Updates to district emergency systems

•   Library renovations

Phases II & III:

•   Addition of new facilities and equipment to support instruction in math, science, engineering, arts and technology

•   Replacement of aging portable classrooms with modern modular buildings

The priority list of projects was developed through a comprehensive process of evaluating a combination of key factors based on school input, board recommendations and the district’s Strategic Plan. Community members, school site faculty, city and district administration and our Board of Trustees had extensive input and completed a thoughtful process over the course of several years. Needs were determined on criteria such as current state of buildings and building code compliance, school site capacity, enrollment shifts and equity.

To ensure that Measures J1 funds are spent according to plan, the Board established an all-volunteer Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) which is made up of volunteers who represent specific constituencies, such as senior citizens, parents, businesses, and the community-at-large. The CBOC is responsible for overseeing the expenditure of money to ensure bond revenues are used as voters intended and communicating its findings and progress to the public.