Carlsbad Unified trustees review Measure HH phase 3 plans, ask staff to prioritize safety and infrastructure

The Carlsbad Unified School District board held a special facilities workshop on Oct. 8 in which staff outlined draft phase‑3 projects under Measure HH and trustees pressed for a tighter, safety‑first list of priorities.

Director of facilities Jessica Kimbrell presented a concept to return Carlsbad Village Academy and Carlsbad Seaside Academy from leased portables to renovated space on the Carlsbad High School campus, proposing removal of three portables to create outdoor learning space. Kimbrell said staff are “targeting an all‑in budget of $6,000,000, roughly $4,500,000 in construction costs” for a lighter‑refresh option that could be ready for August 2026 if the board directs staff to proceed.

The proposals staff presented include campus access and safety upgrades, targeted modernization of classroom and SPED suites, reconfiguration of administrative check‑in points to create single‑point entries, TK and kindergarten reconfiguration where required by California Department of Education space standards, and infrastructure repairs such as roofing, mechanical work, and site drainage. Tony Pacheco Taylor, the district’s outside facilities consultant, summarized condition assessments that flagged portable buildings as “replacement preferred” on many campuses and identified deferred needs at multiple sites.

Trustees repeatedly framed their questions around student safety and limited funding. Trustee comments and follow‑ups pushed staff to prioritize projects with immediate health, safety or legal implications and to seek outside or matching funds for non‑core items. Several trustees said cosmetic or administrative renovations must be plainly tied to safety before being funded under the bond’s remaining dollars.

President Rawlings and staff emphasized the workshop was informational only. Kimbrell said October’s meeting will include detailed cost estimates and an updated summary of remaining Measure HH funds; staff expect to return in spring 2026 with a completed long‑range facilities master plan and site‑by‑site cost estimates for a final phase‑3 list.

Shawna Hurst, who identified herself as “a resident of the district” and co‑chair of the 2018 bond, urged the board to “relook at” materials the district posts online and to keep classroom and lab upgrades central to bond promises: “I just don’t wanna see admin heavy when we still have classrooms that need to be upgraded.” President Rawlings asked staff to follow up on Hurst’s website concerns.

The board also voted on two procedural motions during the session: they approved the agenda earlier in the evening and later voted 5–0 to extend the meeting past 10 p.m. No new projects were approved at the workshop.

Next steps: staff will return in October with project cost breakdowns and an updated Measure HH budget; trustees are expected to use that report to prioritize safety, infrastructure and any projects that can be matched with other funding sources.