Simi Valley Unified approves $255 million budget, shelves November facilities bond

As the Simi Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) prepares to welcome students back for the 2026-27 academic year, administrators are working with a newly approved, balanced budget. However, families and property owners will not see a proposed school facilities bond measure on the upcoming November ballot.

During a meeting on June 16, the district’s Board of Education unanimously approved a $255 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The Simi Valley Acorn reported that while the district expects to spend approximately $255 million, projected revenues sit at roughly $250 million. To bridge the gap and keep the budget balanced, SVUSD will rely on a starting fund balance of $48 million, leaving an ending balance of nearly $44 million after accounting for a $4.4 million adjusted deficit and other financing sources.

This financial roadmap outlines district spending through June 2027.

Where the Money Is Going

As is common across California public education, the district’s financial backbone remains the state's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which accounts for nearly $195 million of the budget. According to the Acorn, the newly approved spending plan reflects a bump in the state’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which increased from 2.3% to 4.3%.

A significant portion of the budget—nearly $96 million—is allocated to certificated salaries, such as teachers and administrators. Classified salaries account for about $38 million, while employee benefits require nearly $75 million. An additional $8.5 million is earmarked for books and supplies. Overall, total spending is projected to decrease from the previous year's $263 million.

Associate Superintendent of Business and Facilities Ron Todo highlighted a major win for special education funding, which will increase from $918.95 to $1,340 per average daily attendance (ADA). This adjustment provides more than $6 million in ongoing funding for the district's special needs programs.

Despite a balanced ledger, the district is making slight reductions, eliminating 15 teaching positions primarily through retirements and the expiration of temporary contracts. Officials noted that future financial hurdles will include declining enrollment, lower ADA, and ongoing shifts in state funding priorities.

Why Trustees Shelved the November Bond

Alongside the budget approval, district officials announced that SVUSD would not pursue a school facilities bond measure for the November general election, missing the June 29 official filing deadline.

The decision comes after months of community discussion regarding the need to fund aging campus facilities, upgrade safety measures, and modernize technology. Local voters previously passed the $239 million Measure X bond in 2016 with 65.4% support, district records indicate. Officials had considered options to maintain or extend existing tax rates to generate between $348 million and $382 million for future improvements.

While a district-commissioned January survey of 410 likely voters showed support surpassing the 55% threshold required for passage, board members were hesitant to place the measure on the 2026 ballot. Trustee Ron Resnick cited an independent community survey showing that more than two-thirds of respondents were not interested in pursuing a bond at this time, emphasizing that improvements do not always require new debt.

Trustee Mike James echoed the financial concerns of residents, noting that the community is "getting squeezed everywhere." Conversely, Trustee Smollen expressed worry over the district's lack of investment in its campuses, emphasizing that strong schools are directly tied to maintaining high property values in Simi Valley.

Superintendent Hani Youssef warned that deciding against moving forward with a bond will create "very difficult financial challenges" regarding the ongoing maintenance of district facilities and technology.

What This Means for Simi Valley Homeowners

For residents, the immediate impact is one of financial stability. By shelving the bond measure, SVUSD property owners will avoid potential new tax burdens or the extension of current school facility tax rates through the upcoming election cycle.

However, the decision signals a growing maintenance backlog for local campuses. Without the infusion of capital from a bond measure, the district will have to rely on its general fund—the same pot of money used for teacher salaries and daily operations—to address inevitable repairs and technological upgrades. This could eventually force the board to make difficult trade-offs between classroom programming and facility upkeep.

What Comes Next?

With the November election off the table, the SVUSD Board of Education faces a strategic crossroads. Earlier budget discussions indicated that some trustees favored delaying a facilities bond until the 2028 presidential election. Waiting for a higher-turnout election cycle would give the district ample time to launch a robust community outreach and education campaign.

In the interim, district staff will be tasked with finding cost-effective ways to address the most pressing campus safety and aging infrastructure needs as Simi Valley schools navigate leaner budget years ahead.