The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District (FUESD) Governing Board unanimously approved Resolution No. 01-26/27, ordering a school bond extension election for November 3, 2026, and placing before local voters a proposed $76 million general obligation to repair, modernize, construct, acquire and equip school facilities throughout the District. The measure structure proposes a bond “extension” keeping the tax rate flat, similar to the way homeowners can extend an existing home mortgage, keeping the tax rate flat.
The action represents a major milestone in a facilities planning process that began in 2022 and has included school-site walkthroughs, comprehensive facility condition assessments, community and staff engagement, surveys, financial analysis, public presentations and development of the District’s Facilities Master Plan. The District describes the process as a four-year effort designed to evaluate needs through facility condition, repair timing, enrollment and utilization, equity and opportunities to leverage other funding sources.
FUESD currently serves approximately 5,100 students from preschool through eighth grade across 11 schools and operates four additional support facilities throughout Fallbrook, De Luz, Camp Pendleton and San Onofre. Five of the District’s 10 physical school campuses are nearly 60 years old or older, including Maie Ellis and Santa Margarita, originally built in 1938; Fallbrook STEM Academy, built in 1953; Potter Junior High, built in 1964; and La Paloma Elementary, built in 1968.
A comprehensive facilities assessment identified approximately $475.6 million in facility needs in 2024 dollars. The proposed $76 million bond extension represents approximately 16 percent of those identified needs and is intended to focus available resources on priority projects involving student safety, regulatory compliance, facility condition, instructional impact and opportunities to leverage state matching funds.
Potential projects include repairing or replacing aging roofs, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems; addressing asbestos and other health and safety concerns; improving accessibility and ADA compliance; replacing aging portable classrooms; improving traffic safety; and modernizing classrooms and student-support facilities.
“These are investments in the basic infrastructure our students and staff depend on every day,” Superintendent Monika Hazel said. “Over the past four years, we have carefully evaluated our facilities, listened to our community, prioritized the greatest needs and examined every available funding opportunity. Every child deserves to learn in facilities that are safe, healthy and dependable.”
Designed Around Keeping the Current Tax-Rate Flat
A central component of the District’s financial planning has been an effort to address facility needs without increasing the current FUESD bond tax rate.
FUESD’s existing Proposition X bond was approved by voters in 2002 and is nearing final repayment, with its final levy projected for fiscal year 2029–30. The proposed 2026 bond has been structured so repayment would begin as Proposition X retires, keeping the tax rate flat, with the financial plan targeting continuation of the existing rate of approximately $30 per $100,000 of assessed property value. Based on the presentation’s median assessed property value of $569,203, that rate corresponds to approximately $170.76 annually.
Actual future tax rates and individual property costs could vary based on assessed valuation growth, the timing and amount of future bond issuances, repayment periods and each property’s assessed value. The District has identified several tools for managing future projected rates, including reviewing assessed valuation growth before each bond issuance and adjusting the timing or amount of individual bond sales.
FUESD: A Good Steward of Local Taxpayer Dollars
The proposed measure follows FUESD’s previous facilities bond, Proposition X. District records presented during the planning process show that two refinancings of Proposition X debt generated approximately $1.31 million in savings to taxpayers. FUESD also highlighted its use of nearly $100 million in federal funding to construct two schools without relying on local taxpayers for those construction costs.
If approved by at least 55 percent of voters, bond proceeds would be restricted to projects only listed on the District’s official Project List that voters approved, and would be subject to required accountability provisions, including independent financial and performance audits and oversight by a Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee.
The District Board expressed its appreciation to Superintendent Hazel, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Armando Farias, facilities, and financing team for the extensive planning and analysis that led to the Board’s decision. Superintendent Hazel recognized the Governing Board for its work throughout the facilities planning process and its consideration of the long-term needs of students, staff, schools and the community.
With the Board’s action, the decision now moves to voters within the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District on November 3, 2026. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters confirms that local school district measures are scheduled as part of the November 3, 2026 Gubernatorial General Election.
In an early sign of future success, the San Diego County Taxpayers Association has already given an early endorsement to the FUESD school bond measure after a rigorous evaluation of the District’s proposal.
In the months leading up to the election, FUESD will continue providing the community with information about the proposed bond, identified facility needs, potential projects, financial structure and accountability requirements. The District’s goal is to ensure residents have access to clear, transparent information as they consider the future of Fallbrook’s educational facilities and make their decision at the ballot box.