Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Packet Summary — 2026-08-27
Meeting: 08/27/2026 - 05:30 PM Format B in SM Board Meeting
Location: District Office and Zoom, 1717 Fourth St., Santa Monica
The Board of Education is scheduled to consider a wide-ranging agenda that includes a joint session with the Financial Oversight Committee, multiple facilities and construction contracts, a new technology-management classification, an amendment to the superintendent's employment agreement, and extensive board-policy updates. Much of the facilities work is funded through Measures M, MM, QS, and SMS.
Key Items on the Agenda
Financial Oversight Committee Annual Report
At 6 p.m., the board is scheduled to convene a 45-minute joint meeting with the Financial Oversight Committee (FOC). The committee serves as an independent financial oversight body and also carries responsibilities related to Measure R parcel-tax oversight.
The FOC's 2025-26 year-end report covers work on the district budget, unfunded liabilities, bond oversight, financial communications, Malibu unification, Measure R reporting, and committee nominations. For 2026-27, the FOC recommends continuing its work in the same general areas except for the completed Malibu Unification charge.
Among the financial issues highlighted in the packet:
- The FOC's bond-oversight work reports that a refinancing of $47.1 million in general obligation bonds produced approximately $3.6 million in net present value savings and $4.5 million in gross savings.
- The FOC recommends continued work on the district's unfunded Other Post-Employment Benefits liability, including development of a potential funding policy.
- The unfunded-liabilities work proposes considering funded-ratio targets of 50% within 10 years, 75% within 15 years, and 100% over the long term, along with a minimum annual contribution framework and an annual reporting process.
- The FOC recommends renewing its financial communications, bond oversight, Measure R, budget, unfunded-liability, and nominations work for 2026-27.
Staff recommends establishing a new Manager of Information Services classified-management position. The packet says the district's technology environment has grown to include enterprise networking, server virtualization, cloud telephony, classroom audiovisual systems, expanded wireless infrastructure, surveillance cameras, electronic access control, cybersecurity monitoring, and disaster-recovery responsibilities.
A third-party technical review in February 2026 found district operations were performing effectively but identified a need for dedicated staffing to sustain the infrastructure. The proposed position would oversee physical technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, network engineers, technical support staff, disaster recovery, and operational security.
- Tentative salary range: $125,423.28 to $152,840.88 annually
- Estimated 2026-27 salary-and-benefit impact: approximately $238,844
- Funding is included in the 2026-27 Education Technology and Information Services budget.
- Final classification requirements and salary placement would be subject to Personnel Commission analysis.
Superintendent Employment Agreement
The board is scheduled to consider amending Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton's employment agreement as part of the completion of his 2025-26 evaluation process.
The packet states that the board discussed the evaluation in closed session on June 4, June 18, June 23, and July 16 and completed the evaluation on July 16. The proposed amendment would extend the employment agreement through June 30, 2029 and also extend a $23,000-per-contract-year tax-sheltered annuity through that date.
Labor Day Resolution and October Meeting Date
Two additional major action items are scheduled:
- Resolution No. 26-06: Staff recommends adoption of a resolution celebrating Labor Day and recognizing the workforce of Santa Monica and Malibu.
- October meeting schedule: Staff recommends moving the first October regular board meeting from Thursday, October 15, 2026, to Tuesday, October 13, 2026, because of scheduling conflicts. The meeting would remain at the district office.
Major Facilities and Construction Items
The consent agenda contains a substantial set of facilities contracts, amendments, design agreements, inspection services, technology purchases, and project closeout actions.
Malibu High School Project Reaches Proposed Closeout
Staff recommends a final $32,372 amendment to the C.W. Driver lease-leaseback agreement for the Malibu High School New High School Project and acceptance of the construction work as complete. The proposed final contract amount is $102,062,860.
The amendment would cover exterior gate closers intended to improve perimeter security and reduce damage to existing gate components. The packet states that construction work has been completed, a Certificate of Substantial Completion has been issued, punch-list and corrective work have been resolved, and a Notice of Completion is expected to be recorded with Los Angeles County if the board accepts the work.
A separate item proposes a $39,970 amendment with 3QC, Inc. to extend commissioning services for the project, bringing that consulting agreement to $137,270. The packet attributes the extended commissioning work to mechanical-system issues and additional testing and closeout needs.
Ocean Park School House
Staff recommends a $385,485 amendment to the Blach Construction Company agreement for the Ocean Park School House Water Intrusion Project, bringing the proposed total contract amount to $58,460,667.
The additional work includes safety cages around exposed gas valves, treatment of gaps and hardware openings, storage costs, security-camera licenses, wireless access points, additional smart boards and door hardware, parking-lot striping, changes following a health department inspection, additional fencing and security, cleaning associated with air-sample testing, and added general conditions.
Grant Elementary School
Several items involve the ongoing Grant Elementary School Classroom Building Project:
- Staff recommends a $120,000 Smith-Emery Laboratories amendment for extended inspection and Lab of Record services, bringing that contract to $581,333.60. The packet says the project schedule was modified by six months and additional work includes portable demolition and installation of new play equipment.
- Current anticipated milestones include completion of the building by November 27, 2026, followed by a second phase beginning April 5, 2027 for portable demolition and installation of a new east-side play area.
- A separate $4,990 Psomas amendment would provide additional arborist monitoring during construction, bringing that contract to $513,554. The work is intended to protect a historic courtyard tree during grading and concrete work.
McKinley Elementary School
Staff recommends a $373,010 architectural-design agreement with Johnson Favaro Architects for a playground renovation.
The project would convert the former portable-classroom area into additional student play space and renovate adjacent play areas, including the early-education play area along Santa Monica Avenue. The design scope also includes civil engineering for site drainage and landscape architecture for play structures, surfaces, and landscaping.
Webster Elementary School
The packet includes three proposed agreements connected with relocatable replacement and playground work:
- $194,990 construction contract with Western State Builders, Inc. for the Playground Renovation Project, including a $20,000 district allowance. Seven bids were received, and staff identifies Western State Builders as the lowest responsive responsible bidder.
- $60,175.96 agreement with Pringle Group for Inspector of Record services.
- $11,042.85 agreement with Smith-Emery Laboratories for Lab of Record services.
These items are proposed for funding through Measure MM.
Will Rogers Elementary School
Staff recommends two design agreements:
- $102,296 with HMC Architects for Building P modernization. The proposed project would create two accessible restrooms, field storage, and a larger location for the school nurse.
- $28,340 with Johnson Favaro Architects for a 20-by-40-foot shade structure adjacent to the existing play area, including security fencing/gates, fire-extinguisher mounts, and padded safety columns.
Both are proposed for Measure QS funding.
Other Campus Safety and Modernization Work
Additional proposed facilities items include:
- Lincoln Middle School: $59,500 architectural amendment for additional design visualizations and cost estimates associated with the Window, Paint, Floors & Doors Project, bringing the design contract to $943,452.
- Malibu Middle & High School: $13,435.58 for three additional security cameras intended to address blind spots created by construction fencing and revised campus circulation.
- Malibu Middle & High School: $97,830 agreement with 3QC, Inc. for commissioning services for the Middle School Hub, Gymnasium, and Aquatics Center projects.
- Obama Center: $46,852.90 for an intercom and video-surveillance installation serving Olympic High School, the STATS program, and preschool operations.
- Santa Monica High School: $31,218.80 purchase of IT equipment for the PBL Language Building Modernization Project.
- Santa Monica High School: $61,100 commissioning-services agreement for the Student Services Building Phase 4A Project.
Policy and Governance Items
Policy revisions make up a significant portion of both the consent and discussion agendas. The packet says the updates are part of an ongoing effort to align district policies and administrative regulations with new laws and California School Boards Association updates.
Policies Scheduled for Consent Action
Policies previously discussed by the board are returning on the consent agenda for proposed revision. They cover:
- Business and fiscal services: transfers of funds, lottery funds, federal grants, fees and charges, payment for goods and services, and student activity funds.
- Maintenance, operations, and grounds: energy and water management, integrated waste management, identification badges, and facilities inspections.
- Risk management: unmanned aircraft systems/drones, recovery for property loss or damage, emergencies and disaster preparedness, emergency schedules, and risk management/insurance.
Corresponding administrative-regulation changes appear separately as information items.
Policies Scheduled for Discussion
The discussion agenda includes three additional groups of policy updates:
- Food and Nutrition Services: food service and child nutrition, cafeteria-fund operations, free and reduced-price meals, and nutrition-program compliance.
- Construction and Facilities: bids, uniform construction cost accounting, lease-leaseback contracts, design-build contracts, and the Facilities Master Plan.
- District philosophy and governance: vision, philosophy, district goals, comprehensive plans, nondiscrimination, equity, school plans/site councils, and charter-school authorization, oversight, renewal, and revocation.
These are discussion items rather than listed major-action items. The agenda explains that action arising from discussion items generally would be scheduled for a subsequent regular meeting.
Other Consent Agenda Items
The board is also scheduled to consider a broad set of routine consent items.
- Independent-contractor proposals include $350,000 for Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis, LLP for general real-estate advice; $64,000 for Socialdynamix social-emotional groups at the Day Treatment Center; $28,500 for an after-school drama program at Lincoln Middle School; and $19,600 for Music Rhapsody lessons for TK-2 students at Roosevelt Elementary.
- Expanded Learning Opportunities Program agreements include up to $300,000 with the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Monica, $75,000 with the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu, and $95,000 with the City of Santa Monica for the CREST Club Program. The packet notes these agreements were previously approved on June 4, 2026 under independent contractors and are now presented as MOUs.
- Staff recommends approval of a Roosevelt Elementary fifth-grade science trip to the Pali Institute from April 21-23, 2027, for approximately 90 students at a listed cost of $40,500, funded by the PTA. The packet states that no child will be denied participation because of financial hardship.
- Staff recommends accepting $1,685.06 in gifts and increasing 2026-27 income and appropriations by the same amount.
- The agenda includes proposed certificated and classified personnel actions, Special Education contracts, purchase orders, subscriptions and licenses, conference/travel requests, and Crisis Prevention Institute membership.
- Student teaching and fieldwork agreements are proposed with Pepperdine University and Alliant University. The Pepperdine agreement has no financial component; Alliant would provide cooperating teachers a $175 stipend per eight-week term.
- The board is also scheduled to consider appointments and reappointments to district advisory committees.
The board will receive several items for the public record that do not require action.
The packet includes administrative-regulation revisions corresponding to business/fiscal, maintenance/operations, and risk-management policies appearing elsewhere on the consent agenda.
The agenda also includes the district's continuing College and Career Access Pathways partnership with Santa Monica College. The packet states that the partnership provides dual-enrollment opportunities for district high school students and includes an appendix listing courses for the 2026-27 school year.
Closed Session
Before open session, the board is scheduled to meet in closed session on several matters:
- Pending litigation involving the Petition for Unification before the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization, with the City of Malibu identified as petitioner.
- An anticipated-litigation matter identified as DN-1002-26/27 (Special Education), postponed from August 6.
- Public employee discipline, dismissal, or release.
- Labor negotiations involving SMMCTA, SEIU, and SMMASA.
These are scheduled closed-session matters; the packet does not establish what, if any, action will result from them.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The agenda combines several issues with longer-term implications for district finances and operations. The joint Financial Oversight Committee session could shape the committee's 2026-27 work, particularly around budget oversight, debt, financial communication, Measure R, and unfunded post-employment-benefit liabilities.
The board is also being asked to act on a large portfolio of capital-project contracts while considering the proposed closeout of the more than $102 million Malibu High School New High School construction contract. Separately, the proposed Manager of Information Services classification would add a dedicated management position for technology infrastructure and cybersecurity, while the superintendent's proposed agreement amendment would extend his contract through June 30, 2029.
Several policy packages are still at the discussion stage, including food and nutrition, construction and facilities, and policies covering district vision, equity, nondiscrimination, school planning, and charter schools. Those items are worth watching for board questions or requested revisions before any later action.
