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District consultants outline $85 million facility master plan, recommend prioritizing middle school and TK upgrades
Summary
Architect Robert Thornton told the Tehachapi Unified School Board the master plan identifies about $85 million in district needs, flags Jacobson Middle School and Tehachapi High as priorities, and estimates $49 million in state modernization eligibility with roughly $22 million in potential state match.
The Tehachapi Unified School Board heard a presentation on July 21 from Robert Thornton of Teter Architects and Engineers detailing the district's facility master plan and project priorities. Thornton said the plan, developed through a multi-year assessment and stakeholder process, identifies about $85,000,000 in projects across district campuses and recommends focusing on aging infrastructure, completing the high‑school campus and addressing significant needs at Jacobson Middle School.
"The facility master plan's primary focus for Tehachapi is really investing in your existing facilities," Thornton said, and he emphasized that the plan looks to preserve and modernize buildings rather than fund major new construction. Thornton told the board the district has roughly $49,000,000 of state modernization eligibility and that the state may provide about $22,000,000 in matching funds over the life of the plan, while the district's local match would be larger.
Thornton described specific categories of work the plan would cover: completing Tehachapi High School projects (including performing‑arts and athletic upgrades), modernizing aging middle‑school buildings, renewing roofs and HVAC systems, replacing dilapidated portables and improving TK and special‑education classrooms. He also noted that the master plan requires a five‑year capital improvement plan and that staff identified approximately $6,000,000 in locally available funds over the next five years that could be applied toward immediate priorities.
Board members asked about timing and eligibility for state funds and whether removing older portables could affect new‑construction eligibility. Thornton responded that removal of portables can help meet modernization rules in some cases but that qualifying for new‑construction eligibility typically also requires significant enrollment increases. "Removal of portables allows us to build new and use that modernization money," he said. The board did not take action on the master plan at the meeting; Thornton encouraged the board to finalize the draft and continue funding discussions, including possible bond strategies.
