There are many ways to support the measure and our efforts towards safer schools for all MPCSD kids.

• You can volunteer with us
• You can RSVP to our events
• You can share our social media
• You can donate to our campaign
• You can email us at [email protected]

Be on the lookout for emails from us with opportunities to volunteer -- we could use your help! Please help spread the word to your friends and neighbors, and follow our social media.

Unlike a parcel tax, which is used for school operations and programs, funds raised from a bond can only be used for school facility improvements. In 2023, the Menlo Park City School District underwent the first comprehensive facilities needs assessment since 2006 and found many critical improvements to maintain the safety and quality of MPCSD schools. The district divided the needs into four categories: campus security, seismic safety, climate resilience and modern technology. Specific improvements include installing electric air conditioning in all classrooms, upgrades to fire and emergency alarm systems, campus access control, construction of seismically sound classroom facilities, audio-visual systems for classroom learning and safety, and solar and energy management upgrades, among other facilities improvements. The $124M raised from this bond will ensure all of the critical needs identified by the district could be addressed.

The bond will fund projects in 4 critical areas:  campus security, seismic safety, climate resilience, and modern technology.  

About $9MM will be spent on campus security projects like priority fencing, fire alarm system upgrades, alarm and security camera systems, electrified door access, and Battery Energy Storage Systems.

Around $66MM will improve seismic safety and repair school facilities including rebuilding 65-year-old classrooms at Lower Laurel, rehabbing 20 year old facilities, repairing asphalt, and exterior painting.

Over $33MM will address climate resilience by installing all new electric HVAC including A/C in all classrooms, adding shade structures to the playgrounds, and expanding solar.

The remaining $6.5 will replace outdated technology like fiber and data wiring, 20-year-old smart screens in classrooms, and upgrading classroom AV, as well as installing EV chargers at each campus.

The project totals to around $156MM including project fees, of which more than $28MM will come from outside funds available for districts, like ours, pursuing facilities planning.

Seismic upgrades at Laurel School Lower Campus are urgently needed, as several buildings were constructed in 1959 using construction methods that no longer meet modern standards . We also need to be prepared for unlikely catastrophic events by upgrading our technology and physical infrastructure to support emergency notification systems and control campus access.

Additionally, modern electric HVAC systems are essential to protect student health and safety amidst increasingly smoky days, extreme heat, and potential pandemics. Maintenance of the outdated gas HVAC systems will only get more expensive the longer we wait, and the health of our children and school staff will remain vulnerable. 

Taking advantage of state and federal matching funds, energy grants and tax credits could provide up to $28 million in additional funding that wouldn’t be otherwise available, ensuring we maximize the impact of this bond. However, delaying these investments could increase costs by $37 million between 2024 and 2028, making immediate action essential for safety and financially prudent.

MPCSD has the lowest bond tax of any TK-8 district in San Mateo County (some example districts listed below). And MPCSD hasn’t put a district wide bond on the ballot for capital improvements to our schools since 2006. While there was a bond for the building of Upper Laurel in 2013, the rest of the schools have not received this type of critical investment in almost 20 years. By contrast, other local school districts have raised many bonds over the last two decades to fund their facilities needs.

• Las Lomitas–Measure S in 2013 for $60M, Measure R for $70M in 2018
• Sequoia Union– Measure A in 2014 for $265M, Measure W in 2022 for $591M
• Redwood City–Measure T in 2015 for $193M, Measure S in 2022 for $298M
• Portola Valley–Measure Z in 2018 for $49.5M
• San Carlos–Measure H in 2012 for $72M, Measure H in 2024 for $176M
• Woodside– Measure D in 2013 for $13.5M, Measure E in 2024 for $36M
• Ravenswood–Measure H in 2016 for $26M, Measure S in 2018 for $70M, Measure I in 2022 for $110M

This bond will increase homeowners’ taxes by about $19 per $100,000 assessed value.  Our district’s current bond rate is lower than our 7 neighboring San Mateo County school districts because we have not passed a bond since 2013. In that time, our neighbors have passed 13 bonds to maintain their facilities.  MPCSD’s new bond will bring our taxes to a similar level as our neighbors.  Investing in school facilities keeps our schools strong and makes our community desirable for families.  Strong schools protect our property values.

While bond rates are off of their unprecedented lows during the COVID pandemic, they are still below historical averages.

The Bond Buyer General Obligation Bond Index reflects the general interest rate environment for the bonds MPCSD would issue. As shown in the following charts, the index currently has a yield below 4%. MPCSD would likely achieve even lower rates than the index due to its AAA ratings.

At current yield levels, the far more important financial consideration for saving taxpayer dollars is that, by acting now, the District can qualify for over $28 million in government matching funds and energy grants that may not be available at a later date. 

Furthermore, the District has consistently taken advantage of lower interest rate environments by refinancing existing bonds. These refinancings of older bonds have already saved local taxpayers over $25 million, and the District is committed to continue doing so in the future, should the opportunity arise.

Rules and regulations ensure our facilities meet basic safety standards, but in many cases, these standards are achieved with retrofitting and expensive-to-maintain solutions. Newer buildings will ensure our classrooms and other facilities meet the highest and latest safety standards. 

Think of it like an old car. While it may be street-safe, an aging car is missing many of the safety features that are standard and expected in newer cars. Furthermore, like our facilities, old cars begin to have problems that are expensive to fix. At some point, the maintenance is not worth the value and replacement with newer equipment becomes the better financial option.

Between 2008 and 2013, when the Upper Laurel bond was approved, Menlo Park experienced about 12 days a year with temperatures over 90 degrees. In the years between 2018 and today, that average rose to 16 days. What might have seemed like a reasonable way to save costs in 2013 is now increasingly a necessity. With over 90% of our District’s learning spaces lacking A/C, we need to act now at all our campuses to create climate-safe classrooms.

Bonds and parcel taxes are two ways to raise money for our schools.

Bonds like this one are used to pay for facilities projects. This bond will fund new, seismically-safe buildings at Lower Laurel, electric HVAC in all classrooms, building access control and emergency systems, and rehab of buildings more than 20 years old.  Bond taxes are based on the assessed value of your home.  This bond will cost about $19 per $100,000 of assessed value. Bonds are overseen by a Citizens’ Oversight Committee. No bond funds may be used for administrator salaries.

Parcel taxes are used to pay for expenses like teacher and administrator salaries.  They are a flat tax for each parcel of land, not based on assessed home value

Measure U is a bond measure that will pay for criticial facilities improvements on all 5 of our campuses. It will improve the safety and secuity of our school buildings so our kids are protected on hot days or in the case of emergency. If approved in November, Measure U will authorize the sale of $124 million in bonds. After those bonds are sold, there will be no additional bonds issued under Measure U. All registered voters in the Menlo Park City School District boundaries are eligible to vote on Measure U.

The One Community Campaign (OCC) is an annual parent fundraiser that runs at the start of the school year. It raises money for each school's PTO and the grant that the MPAEF presents to the district every year. The OCC funds specialist teachers such as art, music, librarians, and PE, mental health support for students, higher teacher salaries. and on-campus enrichment programs such as musicals, assemblies, and science curricula.   

Strong schools provide the foundation for a strong society, and they protect property values.  Families want to live in the Menlo Park City School District because of the schools.  We must maintain our school facilities in order to deliver the education our community demands.  When schools decline, property values follow, which hurts all homeowners whether or not they have kids in the MPCSD.