YUSD Takes $79.2 Million Bond Plan to Community

Yosemite Unified School District voters will be asked to make a significant decision about the future of local school facilities this November.

Before ballots arrive, the district is taking that conversation directly into the community.

YUSD has announced a series of nine public information meetings in September and October where residents can learn more about two school facility bond measures totaling $79.2 million, ask questions and provide feedback.

The measures would provide funding for improvements at Yosemite High School, Coarsegold Elementary School and Rivergold Elementary School.

But voters throughout the district won’t necessarily see both measures on their ballots.

Two Measures, Different Schools

On the Nov. 3 ballot, YUSD voters will consider Measure W and Measure Y.

Measure W would authorize $18 million in bonds for improvements at Coarsegold Elementary and Rivergold Elementary. The measure applies to voters within Yosemite Unified School District’s School Facilities Improvement District No. 1.

Measure Y would authorize $61.2 million in bonds for Yosemite High School and applies districtwide.

Which measure or measures appear on an individual voter’s ballot will depend on where that person lives, according to YUSD.

Both measures require approval from at least 55% of voters within their respective voting areas to pass, according to Madera County Elections.

Together, the proposals represent one of the more consequential decisions local voters will make in November — potentially committing tens of millions of dollars toward school facilities that in some cases have served mountain-area students for decades.

Aging Campuses Behind the Proposal

YUSD says the bond measures are intended to address aging facilities and infrastructure throughout the district.

Some of the oldest permanent buildings at Coarsegold Elementary date to 1963, making them approximately 63 years old.

The main Yosemite High School campus was largely constructed between 1976 and 1978, meaning many of its facilities are approaching 50 years old.

Across the district, permanent school buildings were constructed between 1963 and 2008, although more recent improvements, portable buildings and infrastructure projects have been added over the years.

Among the needs identified by the district are aging roofs, plumbing, electrical systems, heating and cooling systems, classrooms and restrooms.

The district also identifies potential improvements involving fire alarms, emergency communication systems, campus security, backup power and athletic facilities.

The bond money would be restricted to eligible school facility projects rather than salaries or other general operating expenses.

What Would Measure W Address?

The smaller of the two proposals focuses on the district’s elementary campuses.

Measure W would authorize up to $18 million for projects at Coarsegold Elementary and Rivergold Elementary.

The measure is formally a bond proposal for School Facilities Improvement District No. 1, which is why not every YUSD voter will necessarily vote on it.

Madera County Elections lists Measure W separately from the districtwide high school measure and confirms that 55% of participating voters within SFID No. 1 must approve it for passage.

Measure Y Focuses on Yosemite High

Measure Y is the considerably larger proposal.

If approved, it would authorize up to $61.2 million in bonds for Yosemite High School.

The high school’s age is central to the district’s argument for the measure. Much of the main campus dates to the late 1970s, and YUSD says repairs and modernization are needed to address aging building systems and facilities.

Unlike Measure W, Measure Y will be decided by voters throughout Yosemite Unified School District.

It also requires 55% approval.

Nine Chances to Ask Questions

Rather than relying solely on mailers and ballot information, YUSD is planning nine community information events before Election Day.

District representatives say the meetings will explain the proposed measures, discuss facility needs and give residents opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback.

Three meetings will be held at each of the district’s major campuses:

Coarsegold Elementary MPR

• Tuesday, Sept. 15 — 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 7 — 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 21 — 5:30 p.m.

Rivergold Elementary MPR

• Thursday, Sept. 17 — 5:30 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 5 — 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 20 — 5:30 p.m.

Yosemite High School Library

• Wednesday, Sept. 16 — 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 6 — 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 22 — 5:30 p.m.

The first meeting is still more than two weeks before ballots begin arriving.

Ballots Begin Arriving in October

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Madera County Elections says ballots will begin being mailed to active registered voters by Oct. 5, with ballot drop boxes and early in-person voting also beginning that day.

The deadline to register to vote in the election is Oct. 19.

That means several of YUSD’s information sessions will take place after voters have already begun receiving ballots.

For residents who want to understand the proposals before deciding how to vote, the September meetings provide the earliest opportunities to hear directly from district representatives and ask questions about what the proposed $79.2 million investment would mean for local schools.

Additional information about Measures W and Y is available through Yosemite Unified School District’s bond information page and the Madera County Elections Nov. 3 election page.

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Feature Photo: Yosemite High School in Oakhurst is among the campuses that would receive facility improvements if voters approve two Yosemite Unified School District bond measures on the Nov. 3 ballot. YUSD is holding nine community meetings in September and October to discuss the proposals and answer questions.

Photo Credit: Courtesy Yosemite Unified School District