Fresno County school bonds: Early returns show close vote for Clovis Unified’s Measure A
Fresno Unified's $500 million school bond appeared headed toward approval, while Clovis Unified's $400 million bond to build a new high school and intermediate school sat just below the required 55% voter threshold in early Election Night returns.
The Fresno and Clovis school bonds headlined the dozen Fresno County school bonds on the November ballot. Voters appeared to support majority of school bonds, early returns show.
As of 8:15 p.m., reports from the Fresno County Clerk show Fresno Unified's Measure H had 59.53% approval, while Clovis Unified voters cast "yes" votes for 54.72% of early returns for Measure A — a percentage that narrowly falls below the required approval threshold of 55%. Central Unified's Measure X had received 60.17% voter approval.
Here are the results as of Tuesday night.
Fresno Unified's $500M Measure H
Fresno Unified's largest-ever $500 million bond would prioritize repairs for schools in the worst condition, as well as add fences and single-point entrances for schools, replace aging portables and ensure schools comply with ADA accessibility requirements.
The area's current tax rate of $213.86 is the second highest of all K-12 school districts in Fresno County. If Measure H passes, the rate will rise to $238.86.
Measure H was the most contested K-12 school bond in the county leading up to the election.
Susan Wittrup, Fresno Unified's board president, opposed the bond, as did Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias, former Fresno Unified Trustee Brooke Ashjian, and Granville Homes developer Darius Assemi . Opponents criticized the bond's increase in property taxes and its allocation plan because it would mean some affluent areas, such as the Bullard region, would get less funding than their taxpayers paid into the bond.
The six other school board members defended the district's public engagement process and supported the bond's focus on equity. Supporters also included the Fresno Teachers Association, Fresno Chamber of Commerce, and the League of Women Voters of Fresno.
Clovis Unified's $400M Measure A
The district's $400 million Measure A would go toward modernizing school facilities and safety and technology improvements. District leaders say they need to pass the bond to finish construction of the new Clovis South High School.
No increase will be added to the current tax rates of $155 per $100,000 of assessed property value if the new bond passes. It's an extension of the district's existing school bond, and Clovis Unified's tax rate has not been changed since 2012.
With the inflation and rising construction costs, the district is running out of funds to finish the academic buildings for the new educational center that will house Clovis South High.
About $180 million from the new bond would be earmarked for construction, according to the school district. The district budgeted $250 million for the project in the last bond and has invested $330 million in the construction so far.
Kelly Avants, the district's spokesperson, said that if the bond fails, the district has enough funds to complete construction of the middle school and some shared facilities on time to receive students next year.
"So we definitely want our community to understand that it was a thoughtfully put together budget at the time, and we are really caught in a situation as anyone else who started trying to build something before the pandemic and is trying to finish it after the pandemic, that the costs have escalated beyond anything that we have seen in modern history," said Avants.
Central Unified's $109M Measure X
Central Unified's bond measure would make repairs to the district's aging schools. According to the district's project list , five elementary schools and two high schools would be modernized if the bond passes, renewing classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, admin buildings and other school facilities.
A new agricultural lab would also be constructed at Central High School.
Central Unified's current tax rate is $222.03 per $100,000 of assessed property value. If Measure X passes, a lower tax rate of $215.57 will be extended.
Located at the western edge of Fresno, Central Unified is the fastest-growing school district in the Fresno area with over 16,000 students enrolled last academic year. The district opened a new high school in 2021 and is in the process of building a new elementary school. With some schools over 75 years old, the district just redrew its attendance boundary maps in the spring to re-balance enrollment at schools, which will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year.
