Measure E Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee completes Second Semi-Annual Report

By Jeanne Black

The Measure E Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) presented its second semi-annual report to the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) Board of Education on March 10, 2026.

The 14-member CBOC was appointed by the Board as required by state law to assure the community that the bond funds are being spent according to the uses stated on their ballot. The committee meets four times a year to receive financial updates and review expenditures for each school site, presented by Santha Rajiv, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services.

It is important to understand that while the District’s operating deficit recently required it to give potential layoff notices (“pink slips”) to multiple teachers and staff, the bond funds cannot be used for salaries or other school operating expenses. Not only is this the law, but doing this would be akin to taking out a mortgage to buy groceries.

Bond funds may be used only for capital improvements, such as new construction, remodeling, and major equipment. The CBOC cannot direct how bond proceeds are spent or establish spending priorities within the construction program. Its mission is to bring transparency to how the $358 million in bond funds are spent.

The District does not issue all $358 million in bonds at one time because it doesn’t make sense to pay interest on money that isn’t needed yet. The first series of bonds was issued in September 2024 for $80 million. These Series A bonds pay an interest rate of 3.84% and received credit ratings of Aa2 from Moody’s and AA from Standard & Poor’s. The bonds are deposited in a Building Fund and earn interest until they are spent. As of December 31, 2025, the District had spent $5.3 million, and a total of $19.3 million was paid or contractually obligated.

Some people have wondered why construction hasn’t started yet, given that only a small amount has been spent, even though two years have passed since the bonds were approved. All large construction projects, especially when undertaken by a public entity, require extensive planning, along with regulatory approvals and competitive bidding to select contractors.

Because all CCUSD campuses will be upgraded simultaneously, the District has engaged multiple architectural firms so that design for all sites can proceed concurrently. CCUSD has completed the schematic design and design development phase for each campus, and construction documents are now being prepared.

These are used for forbidding, permitting, and building, and they must be reviewed and approved by the Division of the State Architect (DSA) once complete. This is the section of the California Department of General Services responsible for approving the design and construction of K–12 schools and community colleges to ensure compliance with all structural, accessibility, and fire and life-safety codes.

DSA approval may take six to nine months, but the plan is to start bidding before it is received. Construction on some campuses is expected to start in late Fall 2026, while others are expected to begin in Spring 2027. The construction and remodeling plans for each campus are available here.

The CBOC reviewed the financial and performance audit completed by the independent accounting firm CWDL for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. CWDL accountants reviewed the Building Fund financial statements, examined internal controls over financial reporting, tested for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and evaluated accounting policies and financial disclosures.

They also examined the project books, selecting and testing a sample of expenditures, and reviewed supporting documentation, including invoices and purchase orders, evidence of approval and receipt of goods and services, and bid documentation.

The audit results were unqualified (i.e., “clean”) and identified no weaknesses in internal controls, no instances of noncompliance, and no questioned costs. CWDL confirmed that the bond proceeds were expended solely on the voter-approved projects and no bond funds were used for salaries, pensions, benefits, or other operating expenses.

The auditors concluded that the District complied with the requirements of Proposition 39 and Article XIIIA of the California Constitution in all significant respects.

The 2026 CBOC is led by Chair Jeanne Black, PhD, and Vice Chair Raaj Shankla. Other members include Lacey Banis, Nancy Barba, Lydia Dillier, Gary Guthman, Van Johnson, Chris Kirk, Ron Levinson, Darrel Menthe, and Palvi D. Mohammed.

Members of the public can access the report on the Measure E CBOC webpage. This page pulls together the CBOC membership roster and minutes, facility updates for each school, financial reports, and the weekly construction management reports.

Are you interested in serving on the CBOC? Any District resident who is the parent or guardian of a CCUSD student is encouraged to apply by completing the application on the CCUSD website. The next CBOC meeting will be held on May 20, 2026. All meetings are open to the public.

Jeanne Black, PhD, MBA has lived in Culver City for 27 years. She is chair of the CCUSD Measure E Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee and a Culver City Planning Commissioner. Prior to her retirement, she was Associate Director for Health Policy and Program Evaluation at Cedars Sinai.