Board approves Garfield Elementary rebuild and Measure Y bond draw; community presses for speedy construction

The Oakland Unified School District board unanimously voted March 11 to convert the Garfield Elementary modernization project to a full campus rebuild and to approve the related funding plan. The board also approved a Measure Y bond issuance and refunding that staff said is timed to support Garfield, McClymonds, Roosevelt and other priority projects.

The proposal: Facilities staff told trustees that persistent structural issues, high temporary-housing costs and the need to expand early-childhood seats made a full rebuild the more responsible long-term investment. "As this project advanced through design, it became clear that structural requirements, temporary housing costs, and limitations on expanding early childhood capacity made a full rebuild a much more responsible long term investment for the district," the facilities presenter said.

Funding plan and numbers: Staff described a $104.5 million project budget. The funding stack presented to the board included $70.7 million already allocated from Measure Y, $19 million in Oakland ChildrenChildren's Initiative/First 5 support, $5 million of developer fees and an estimated $9.8 million of state Fund 35 reimbursement. That combination closed a roughly $14.8 million gap in the staff presentation.

Community support and safety concerns: Fourteen public commenters, including parents, teachers and students, urged the board to approve the rebuild and stressed campus safety and facility hazards at Garfield. A Garfield teacher and multiple parents described leaking pipes, poor HVAC and safety hazards. "Garfield is one of the oldest schools in Oakland, and that's not sustainable for early childhood education," said Tysha Hudson, a third-grade teacher at Garfield.

Timeline and oversight: Staff said the project was in design development; the district plans to submit construction documents to the Division of the State Architect at the end of the year and anticipated approvals in 2026 and construction in 2027. Trustees emphasized community accountability and urged that funds be put to work quickly: several directors said approval should mean construction starts in the coming months.

Measure Y bond issuance and refunding: Separately, the board authorized the third draw of Measure Y bonds and approved a refunding package the staff said could save taxpayers about $9 million by reducing prior borrowing costs. The bond action also funds lead-remediation work, deferred maintenance and heat-mitigation projects districtwide.

What the vote changed: The board's unanimous approval converts Garfield's scope and authorizes staff to advance design and contracting steps under the revised funding plan. The board also approved the bond resolution that will provide cash flow to begin a series of construction and remediation projects across the district.

Next steps: Staff said they will finalize designs, return with contracting actions as Division of State Architect approvals are secured, and continue community engagement about phasing and interim housing options.

Key numbers from the meeting: $104,500,000 proposed project total; $70,700,000 Measure Y allocation; $19,000,000 Oakland Children's Initiative contribution; $5,000,000 developer fees; $9,800,000 state Fund 35 reimbursement; expected taxpayer savings of roughly $9,000,000 from refunding.