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Board delegates summer contracting authority for San Antonio campus as public commenters raise Prop 39 facility concerns
Summary
Trustees authorized the superintendent to approve consulting contracts for the San Antonio campus while a parent public commenter alleged the district was "fast‑tracking" the project and raised Prop 39 facility concerns for charter operator BCS; trustees responded that the timeline is necessary to control costs and said BCS is expected to be the initial occupant.
The Los Altos School District Board of Trustees unanimously authorized the superintendent or a designee to enter into consulting services contracts for the San Antonio campus project while the board is on summer recess.
Trustee Stella moved the delegation of authority and Trustee Brandon seconded; the motion passed unanimously. Board members said any agreements executed under the delegation will be brought back to the board for ratification at the August meeting.
The motion drew public comment. An unnamed parent urged the board to "stop fasttracking this" and argued that BCS, a charter operator, had been provided less building and acreage than required under Proposition 39 facility rules, alleging that proposed offsite work would waste taxpayer money and that shared campus arrangements had disadvantaged district programs. The parent also cited an enrollment decline and presented a rough per‑student cost calculation.
Board members strongly disputed the "fast‑tracking" characterization. One trustee said the district has "made this decision as a board a while ago and this just keeps things moving forward; it's not really doing anything out of the ordinary." Trustee Stella added, "we are not fasttracking as has been alleged," and emphasized that staying on schedule helps control rising construction costs. Another trustee said the district "is still fully expecting BCS to be the first occupants of the school when it is built" and clarified the board’s intent to remove excess portables from certain campuses while some students would remain at existing campuses until the new facility opens for the 2028–29 school year.
The board acknowledged the complexity of Prop 39 facility negotiations and said two of its members have been meeting with the BCS board. Trustees encouraged members of the public with specific concerns or calculations to meet with staff for a detailed review. The board’s delegation of authority is subject to ratification at the next regular meeting on August 3, when any executed contracts will be presented for confirmation.
What to watch next • Any consulting agreements executed under the delegated authority should be presented for board ratification at the August meeting. • Ongoing negotiations or a new facilities agreement with BCS, and any Prop 39 offers or legal challenges, would be material developments warranting follow‑up coverage.
