The on again, off again, effort to split Malibu schools from Santa Monica is both on and off, again, after the City of Malibu announced it is moving forward with a new effort to split the district without coming to negotiated terms with Santa Monica officials.
On Friday, the City of Malibu announced that it will move forward with its original 2017 school separation petition to create an independent Malibu Unified School District, just weeks after the city and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) subcommittee came to an agreement on a completed unification package.
Unanimously approved by Malibu’s City Council, Malibu will submit an independent feasibility study to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization, supplementing its original petition. The city states the update “does not negate” the original petition, but “builds upon the financial and operational assumptions that made the separation feasible” in previously-agreed upon terms with SMMUSD.
City officials stated that the move was prompted by the SMMUSD Board of Education not approving the completed separation agreement within deadlines established by the district. The board first held a discussion item on the package during its October 15 meeting, expressing a need for further discussion before a vote could be taken.
“Malibu has been working in good faith to reach an agreement with SMMUSD that would create a fair and equitable separation for both communities,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said. “However, due to the Board’s failure to meet the agreed-upon deadlines, Malibu will now proceed independently with the process.”
Separating a school district is a complicated process, but can be done at the decree of County education officials. However, Malibu and SMMUSD have been pursuing a negotiated split with deals over how funding and resources would be split.
In revenue sharing discussions earlier this year, SMMUSD legal counsel David Soldani said that the agreement was the result of “hundreds of hours” of mediated negotiations between Malibu and the District, and that “as is the case with all negotiated agreements, there is some give and take.”
Malibu officials stated that in an effort to work collaboratively with the district, Malibu offered concessions to help ensure a seamless process once both parties agreed on the core financial aspects.
Now, Malibu said its alternative feasibility incorporates much of the financial and operational groundwork developed over the last several years, upholding the guiding principles that (1) the formation of an independent Malibu Unified School District is in the best interest of all students; and (2) both Malibu USD and Santa Monica USD will receive sufficient funding to provide a similar level of service that existed before separation.
Negotiations nearly broke down over the summer, as Christine Wood, an attorney representing the City of Malibu, requested the LACOE committee set a public hearing on its original petition. Wood said that the request for the original petition to be heard was “about the lack of urgency that [SMMUSD] is placing on the process.” However, at an August LACOE meeting, Wood revised the statement, telling the committee that the two sides made a “considerable amount of progress” on the agreements.
The two sides released a joint statement in September announcing that their respective subcommittees have agreed on a proposed school separation package. The package consisted of three key elements, the Revenue Sharing Agreement, an Operational Transfer Agreement and a Joint Powers agreement.
Malibu officials added that forming an independent USD would re-prioritize the educational needs of Malibu students, reflect the community’s unique needs and values, and provide Malibu residents with local control over education decisions.
The County Committee will consider the City’s petition at two upcoming public hearings, the first of which will take place in the SMMUSD District Office Board Room on Friday, November 8. The following week, on November 13, Malibu High School will hold a hearing. Both will take place beginning at 6pm.
SMMUSD officials said they were unable to comment on the developments by press time and will have a statement on the matter on Monday.
thomas@smdp.com
