At the Aug. 11, 2025 Culver City Council meeting, the council voted unanimously to support a $2.5 million dollar funding request for the Culver City Unified School District. That funding came with many conditions, and the detailed discussion of which already-funded city projects could be postponed to find the funds touched on mobility goals and housing challenges.
While any budget shortfall tends towards blaming bad accounting or poor budget choices, the challenge facing CCUSD is simply about having fewer students; support for education from the state is tied directly to attendance. As the cost of housing in Culver City has continued to increase, the number of families with school age children who can afford to live here has continued to drop. With families in the upper income levels who can purchase housing, our many private schools are also an option for education.
By granting this request from the district for funds, CCUSD will be able to avoid going into a position of receivership, which requires being overseen by Los Angeles County.
The motion, made by Vice Mayor Freddy Puza, included requiring that the district seek a parcel tax on the upcoming June ballot, looking into building housing on CCUSD property, having City Staff sit in on meetings between the County and the District, and having the District create a written plan on how to retain students and market schools to residents.
Judith Martin-Straw
