The Measure E Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) has presented its first semi-annual report to the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD) Board of Education, marking an important milestone in the oversight of the $358 million general obligation bond program approved by voters.
The 14-member CBOC was appointed by the Board as required by state law to ensure that bond funds are spent strictly on projects authorized by the bond resolution and not on salaries or school operating expenses. The committee meets four times a year to receive financial updates and review expenditures for each school site, presented by Santha Rajiv, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services.
CBOC Chair Jeanne Black, PhD presented the report to the Board of Education on September 23, 2025. According to the report, roofing projects have been completed at four elementary schools and Culver City Middle School, and architects were in the process of completing the schematic design phase for all campuses.
As of March 31, 2025, the District had spent or committed just over $22 million. The CBOC reported that, to the best of its knowledge, CCUSD was in full compliance with state law governing the use of bond funds. The District expects to receive its first independent annual audit (covering July 2024 through June 2025) in December. The CBOC will review this audit before submitting its next semi-annual report.
“Every member of the CBOC is committed to assuring transparency and accountability in the use of these bond funds,” said Dr. Black. “Our goal is to ensure that the community’s investment in Culver City schools is protected and used as promised.”
CBOC Agendas and Minutes, along with Measure E financial reports and facilities updates, are available to the public at https://bit.ly/45BLwgN.
A great deal of planning and design goes into school renovation and construction projects. Because all CCUSD campuses will be upgraded, the District has engaged multiple architectural firms so that design for all sites can take place at the same time. The design process goes through three main phases before construction can start.
· Schematic design establishes the overall concept with big-picture ideas such as site layout, building massing, space planning, and adjacencies.
· During the design development phase, specific decisions are made regarding materials and structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The project’s scope, quality, and budget will be clearly defined.
· Construction documents are a comprehensive set of drawings and specifications used for bidding, permitting, and building. These documents must be reviewed and approved by the Division of the State Architect, which provides design and construction oversight for K–12 schools, community colleges, and various other facilities to ensure that they comply with all structural, accessibility, and fire and life safety codes.
The schematic design process is nearing completion for the following projects:
High School: A new 3-story classroom building on the northwest side of campus with 18 classrooms (6 Language, 12 Math).
Middle School: A new 3-story classroom building on the south side of campus with a gymnasium, 2 locker rooms, and 14 classrooms (6 science, 8 standard).
Culver Park High School: Relocation of portable classrooms and modernization of existing buildings, including 3 classrooms, and office, computer, and support spaces.
El Rincon: A new 1-story classroom building with 6 kindergarten classrooms and support spaces with covered walkways.
Farragut and Office of Child Development: A new 1-story classroom building on the north side of campus, including 4 kindergarten classrooms and support spaces adjacent to existing classroom buildings.
La Ballona: A new 2-story classroom building on the southeast side of campus with 4 classrooms (2 kindergarten, 1 art, 1 music).
El Marino: A new 1-story classroom building on the south side of campus, including five 5th grade classrooms with covered walkways and support spaces.
Linwood E. Howe: A new 1-story classroom building on the south side of campus, including four 5th grade classrooms and support spaces with adjoining canopies, a new turf area and modernization of the play area.
Construction is expected to start on the various sites between Fall 2026 and Spring 2027.
The CBOC is led by Chair Jeanne Black, PhD and Vice Chair Raaj Shankla. Other members include Lacey Banis, Nancy Barba, Kavi Downey, Gary Guthman, Van Johnson, Mary J. Lim, Christine Maitland-Koeh, Darrel Menthe, Palvi D. Mohammed, Salome Reeves, Melissa Sanders, and Gevorg Stepanyan.
The next CBOC meeting will be held on November 13, 2025. All meetings are open to the public.
CBOC
