Updating Aging Classrooms and Schools
Rim of the World Unified School District (ROWUSD) and our mountain community are dedicated to ensuring each student achieves academic and individual excellence by engaging all students in meaningful programs. Rim of the World Unified School District (ROWUSD) serves nearly 3,000 students across three elementary schools, one middle school, comprehensive high school, a continuation high school, and a virtual academy.

Meeting the Needs of Our Students
While our teachers and staff work hard with our students each day, our aging schools are now over years old and need updates. Our district maintenance team works hard to take care of our aging classrooms and school facilities by keeping up with minor repairs and maintenance. However old plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical systems are now outdated. As the temperature rises, classrooms get too hot to teach in and ventilation systems are not sufficient to ensure healthy, clean air for students and educators.

Classrooms and science labs that were built for a different era of education now require updates and upgrades to meet today’s education and safety standards and ensure our students graduate with a strong foundation in science, math engineering and technology. 

The state of California provides very limited funding for school improvements, and most state funding requires local matching funds. Our students deserve to have same educational opportunities as others in the region. It’s time to repair and update our schools so they can serve the community well for decades to come.

Local Funding to Repair and Upgrade Our Schools
As part of an ongoing process of reviewing the needs facing our schools, the ROWUSD Governing Board is considering all options available to make these needed repairs and updates, including considering placing a $71 million dollar bond measure on the November 2024 ballot.. While no decisions have been made, this measure’s cost would be limited to $30 per $100,000 of a property’s assessed (not market value) per year for as long as bonds are outstanding, or about $73 per year for the typical homeowner. 

If approved by local voters, funding from this proposed measure could be used to:

• Improve school safety and security systems
• Repair deteriorating roofs, plumbing, and electrical systems
• Update heating and cooling systems and remove asbestos and lead pipes where found
• Update classrooms and science labs
• Support quality academics in science, math, engineering, arts, and other skilled trades

Mandatory Fiscal Accountability and Local Control
By law, a bond measure would require accountability protections, including:

• All funds would be controlled locally for our schools only and could not be taken away by the State
• An independent citizens’ oversight committee and mandatory annual audits would ensure all funds are spent as voters intended
• A detailed project list outlining the specific use of funds would be required
• No funds could be used for administrators’ salaries

We Want to Hear From You!
As we continue to prepare for the future of our local schools, we would like to hear your thoughts. If you have questions or feedback you would like to share, please reach out to Jenny Haberlin at jenny_haberlin@rimsd.k12.ca.us.