Board signals support for applying to DoD PSMI grant to rebuild Travis Elementary; seeks written funding commitment

Travis Unified staff recommended pursuing a full replacement of Travis Elementary under the Department of DefenseProgram for School Modernization and Improvement (PSMI), citing long-term savings, improved learning environments and a large federal match that would be difficult to replicate.

Chief Business Officer Gabe laid out three options for the 1952-era campus: a full replacement on a new site via PSMI (construction hard costs estimated at ~$62M; total project about $94M), a major modernization of the existing site (~$34.3M), or a facilities-master-plan-driven set of repairs (~$12.275M). Gabe told the board the PSMI route would yield roughly $75M from DoD plus about $12M from the state under Proposition 2 reimbursements, leaving a local gap of roughly $7M under the staff estimate. "When you build a new school, everything's under warranty for a few years... there's a lot to be said about that," Gabe said when describing lower ongoing maintenance and energy costs for new construction. (Gabe)

Travis AFB leadership, speaking at the meeting, urged the board to pursue the replacement. An installation representative, Eric, argued that modern facilities are a driver of family retention and teacher recruitment and said a new facility would be "a powerful message to every child who walks through its doors." (Eric)

Board members broadly supported pursuing the DoD application and requested a written board resolution that would commit local funding sources to cover the remaining gap if awarded the federal and state funds. Trustees discussed potential local sources: developer fees, proceeds from property sales (Goldridge and Vacaville property were mentioned), and impact aid; they stressed that Measure R bond funds should be a lower-priority option and used only if other sources do not cover the local share.

Staff noted the application timeline and prerequisites: soils testing and environmental review (preliminary soils testing appeared viable), base right-of-entry and lease agreements for the proposed new site, and coordination with Department of Toxic Substances Control for any required mitigation. Gabe said the staff aims to submit an initial application package in the coming months and requested a board resolution to demonstrate local commitment ahead of final application steps.

What the board did: The board gave direction to proceed with PSMI application preparations and asked staff to prepare a funding-resolution for board action that lists prioritized local funding options and explains contingencies if state/federal reimbursements are delayed.

Context: The PSMI program is a rare, high-match opportunity; staff advised that if the district declines now the chance to secure DoD funding likely would not reappear for decades. Trustees stressed the need for a clear written commitment that outlines which local funds would be used and under what conditions to avoid surprises for future boards and taxpayers.