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Simi Valley board approves feasibility study to gauge support for possible 2026 bond
Summary
The Simi Valley Unified board voted to hire ISM Advisors to survey voters and produce a feasibility report on a potential 2026 school bond; trustees and public commenters stressed that the study is informational only and not a decision to place a bond on the ballot.
The Simi Valley Unified School District Board of Education on a unanimous roll-call vote approved an agreement with ISM Advisors to conduct a feasibility study and community survey about a possible school bond for the 2026 election. The study will gather voter feedback and produce an executive summary and full dataset for the board to review, with staff saying the consultant is expected to report back in January or February.
Board members emphasized that approving the agreement does not authorize placing a bond on the ballot. A staff presentation described the contract as a feasibility study only; the firm will contact voters, collect data, and return results to help trustees decide whether to pursue a measure. "You will have access to the full dataset," a trustee said during the discussion.
Public commenters at the meeting urged caution. Elena Johnson, a homeowner and retired teacher, urged the board to reconsider placing a large bond on the 2026 ballot, saying bonds increase long-term tax burdens for seniors and families on fixed incomes and urging the board to pursue grants or Title I funding for technology needs instead.
Trustees asked about timeline and deliverables; staff said the consultant had returned to the board previously with similar reporting and would present both an executive summary and underlying survey results if approved. The motion to approve Agreement A26.08 passed on a roll call showing all trustees voting aye.
Next steps: ISM Advisors will begin community outreach and surveying if contracted, and the board will review the findings before deciding whether to move forward with any ballot measure.
