Pasadena School District Says Asset Management Plan Will Ensure Proper Use of Bond Money

The Pasadena Unified School District has started taking steps to figure out the best ways to manage a proposed $900 million school facilities bond and a $90 annual parcel tax that will go to the November ballot.

The District has launched an asset management plan, a strategic approach to managing District-owned properties, to enhance local revenue and ensure the most efficient use of resources.

The school facilities bond, if approved, will continue the work to upgrade Pasadena Unified School District’s historic campuses. The parcel tax would generate $5 million per year, which would be used to provide services to the District’s students and retain teachers and other employees.

“The measures represent a pathway to elevate and innovate the way children learn and thrive in Pasadena Unified School District schools,” said Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, Ph.D. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our community to ensure local and stable funding for our classrooms to continue advancing educational excellence for all of our students.”

The District faces major budget challenges over the next three years that District officials say must be addressed beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. With the end of COVID-era funding, significantly reduced state funding, and the rising cost of public school education amid declining enrollment statewide, the District issued layoff notices and is reducing central office services by approximately 30% to minimize the impact on students.

“The new facilities bond will continue the work of upgrading our historic schools to modernize and enhance the spaces where our students learn, play, perform, and compete,” said Board of Education President Kimberly Kenne. “Together with the parcel tax, voter approval of the two measures will positively impact Pasadena Unified School District students in Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre for generations to come.”