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Santa Monica-Malibu board unanimously approves three mediated unification agreements
Summary
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board voted unanimously to approve three mediated agreements — a property tax revenue-sharing plan, an operational transfer agreement and a joint powers authority — advancing a multi-year path for separate Santa Monica and Malibu districts while noting further city and state approvals will be required.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board on Dec. 1 voted unanimously to approve three mediated unification agreements that district staff say provide a pathway for creating two independent school districts while aiming to protect services and staff during the transition.
Consultant David Chin summarized the purpose of the package as “the culmination of the team's efforts in putting together these unification agreements,” and cautioned that the approvals are an early step in a longer process that also requires city approval and potential state legislation. He told the board that even if both governing bodies approve the agreements, “we don't get to decide that on our own” and the separation will take several years to implement.
The agreements include a property tax revenue-sharing agreement (PTRSA), an operational transfer agreement to allocate assets and staffing, and a joint powers agreement (JPA) to provide an independent forum for dispute resolution and advisory recommendations. Fiscal consultant Shengreen described the PTRSA as a formula tied to enrollment that would split revenues roughly 88% to Santa Monica and 12% to Malibu at the year of separation and provide protections against sudden losses: “Never is there a time when there's a radical massive drop in revenues. It would all be very smooth, and predictable.”
Board members who served on the unification subcommittee said the package meets the district’s guiding principles of protecting student programs and ensuring successor districts are fiscally viable. John, a subcommittee member, said the agreements “meet our two most important criteria. Both cohorts of students will benefit, and each cohort will receive a comparable education on day one.”
Several trustees also flagged concerns that will need work in the implementation phase, including teacher job security, enrollment declines, and the need for clear communications to both communities. The board directed staff to correct a typographical error on page 9 before finalizing paperwork.
The board’s approval is not the final step. District staff and presenters repeatedly said the package next goes to the Malibu City Council; if both bodies approve the agreements, staff would pursue necessary state-level approvals and special legislation to address statutory gaps, including protections for parcel tax treatment and labor protections.
The motion to approve the three agreements passed unanimously.
