Your Bond Dollars at Work: Update on PVPUSD’s Measure SOS

On November 5, 2024, residents of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District approved Measure SOS. Thanks to our community’s support, the district will soon be able to complete urgent and high-priority improvements in our schools.

The passage of Measure SOS provided the district with $297,800,000 in locally controlled funding that will be used to repair leaky roofs, fix inadequate and faulty infrastructure, improve campus safety, and make other critical improvements.

I am excited to share that we’ve officially started the first phase of implementing Measure SOS. Our team is hard at work to complete the early planning and preparation needed to begin some initial projects as early as this summer.

To start, we have established an independent Citizens’ Oversight Comittee (COC), as required by California law. This diverse group of nine local residents will oversee the spending of bond proceeds and the construction projects for the life of the program. The COC is made up of members who represent various community groups, including taxpayer organizations, senior citizen groups, parent-teacher organizations, and PVPUSD parents.

The committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, April 1. The meeting provided a broad overview of the committee’s responsibilities and included initial training to prepare members for their role. Their insights and accountability are integral to a successful bond program. The next COC meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 27.

In March, we finalized the first sale of the initial series of $75 million of Measure SOS bonds. We were pleased that the bond sale was highly competitive, with the district receiving 15 bids. Ultimately, we were able to secure the best possible deal for our taxpayers at a low interest rate. The funds are now available in the district’s account.

We are now developing a project prioritization list for Phase One of Measure SOS. As we evaluate which projects to begin first, we’re prioritizing safety and security needs before moving on to modernization efforts.

A preliminary draft was shared with the PVPUSD Board of Education for feedback, and we’re now inviting input from the broader community. We are meeting with each school site’s PTA, school staff, and the broader community through public town hall meetings. Community members are also invited to submit individual feedback on the bond program by emailing bond@pvpusd.net.

As we continue implementing the bond program, we are committed to transparent and proactive communication with our community. Your support is helping us create safer, more reliable learning environments for our students, staff, and community. Thank you for investing in our schools and the students we serve.

For more updates on Measure SOS, please visit https://www.pvpusd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=4427721&type=d&pREC_ID=2646990.

Dr. Devin Serrano is the superintendent of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District.