With the passage of Measure N the district now has the ability to issue bonds for up to $150 million to address the districts enrollment growth and other facility needs as defined by a facilities master plan.
Protecting Our Award-Winning Small School Model
The Los Altos School District (LASD) is among the top school districts in the state. Our small school model and innovative programs prepare every student for success.
As our area continues to grow, we must preserve excellent educational opportunities for all students.
Historic and Future Enrollment Growth Requires a 10th Site
Student enrollment in our schools, including Bullis Charter School, exceeds 5,000 students, a level last reached in the 1970s, when we had 12 school sites rather than 9. Future enrollment is projected to rise due to rapid growth in our area, with an anticipated five-digit increase in new homes in the next 10 years (Mountain View Voice, "Schools Brace for Explosive Housing Growth," December 28, 2017). That’s why local voters passed Measure N, a $150 million bond measure to help resolve the overcrowding issue in our schools, in November 2014.
Making Progress by Listening to Our Community
With community input since 2012, we are on the cusp of a solution to resolve school overcrowding.
-
2012 Superintendent’s Enrollment Growth Task Force determines that enrollment increase requires new sites
-
2014 LASD voters approve Measure N, $150 million bond measure
-
2015 Facilities Master Plan Committee recommends seeking one new school site
-
2017 10th Site Committee identifies four preferred sites
-
2018 Mountain View City Council collaboration for site purchase reduces potential land cost by millions
An Exciting Partnership with the City of Mountain View: A Win-Win
Twenty-seven percent of LASD students reside in Mountain View and the City is a key partner in helping resolve school overcrowding.
-
On January 16, the City Council agreed to contribute up to $23 million in park land dedication funds towards the purchase of LASD’s preferred site
-
The City allowed the sale of TDRs (Transfer Development Rights) that could offset the cost of land for LASD by tens of millions of dollars, freeing up limited bond funds for school construction and improvements
-
As a result, the City will gain a park in an area that desperately needs recreation space
-
The Los Altos School District and Mountain View City Council agreed on December 11, 2018 that a neighborhood elementary, neighborhood junior high school, or a choice school with a neighborhood preference would be placed on the site
Site Advisory Task Force and ThoughtExchange
At its February 12, 2018 meeting, the LASD Board of Trustees approved a Site Advisory Task Force to engage the City of Mountain View and other LASD constituents to help the Board make its decision regarding the best use of the 10th site to reduce overcrowding. Additionally, the district launched ThoughtExchange, an online forum where constituents shared perspectives on the new 10th school site. Below are meetings and reports from the Site Advisory Task Force and the ThoughtExchange.
10th Site Task Force Meetings:
May 11 & 12 Meeting Handouts:
- Overview Presentation
- 10th Site Task Force Charge
- Background Information
- Enrollment Growth Task Force Final Report
- Facilities Advisory Committee Final Report
- LASD Strategy Engine Project
- Facilities Master Plan Committee Interim Report
- Demographic Findings
- Ethnic Make-Up of LASD and BCS
- Master Facility Planning Direction
- New Housing and Its Impacts on Housing
- The Century Foundation - School Integration
September 10, 2018 - 10th Site Advisory Task Force Report to the Los Altos Board of Trustees
ThoughtExchange:
10th Site Community Input Update
This page has a collection of resources related to the implementation of Measure N, enrollment growth and facilities planning.
Bond Implementation
- Community Input Sessions:
- Public Lands Ad Hoc Committee:
- Draft Conceptual Drawings from January 28, 2016 Meeting
- Conceptual Drawings from LASD Showing Shared Use of Public Lands - In response to public requests to see drawings of how public lands could be used to house a 10th public school, the Board of Trustees has requested that these be posted on the district's website. The links below show a few different ways that LASD and the City of Los Altos could share space to meet both school and community needs. There are many more possible configurations.
Facilities Master Plan
- Master Facility Planning Direction
- Facilities Master Plan Committee:
Measure N
- Newsletters:
Enrollment Growth
The Enrollment Growth Task Force was created by the Superintendent to bring together stakeholders to understand the student capacity challenges of the Los Altos School District and the impacts on the current and future education of the Community's children. Additionally, the stakeholders shall discuss the challenges of a long-term plan to house Bullis Charter School students and staff using current and/or future facilities.
The task force is made up of a broad range of community members including BCS and LASD parents, city government officials, and other members in our community interested in maintaining the excellence of our public schools.