MENIFEE, Calif. — Rushing through the library to her favorite book, fourth grader Madison Lyman is part of the first round of nearly 400 students at the Sally Buselt Elementary School in Menifee. 

The elementary school opened up just this school year in August, costing around $70 million that were paid for in part by Measure Q, a bond approved by voters back in 2016. The last of the funds generated by that measure were used in building this school. 

Unlike most other school districts across the state seeing schools close due to a decline in enrollment, Menifee Union School District is seeing the opposite. Principal Stephanie Acosta says Menifee is a growing community, and the school was built in response to the need for more classrooms as developments all across town have brought an influx of students.  

"We know that we're projected to keep growing and currently our school could hold about 650 kids. But with the projected growth around us, we know we're going to need probably twice that, maybe more," said Acosta. 

According to the school district, they are expecting a nearly 12% enrollment growth by next year and is why they're going back to voters, having placed Measure R on the ballot this year. Measure R is 205 million dollar bond that would be used towards three new elementary schools, one middle school and towards making upgrades to roofing, heating and other fixes in existing facilities. 

One of the existing facilities is the Menifee Elementary School that was closed in 2007 and now ready to be tapped in again with the right upgrades, according to Jim Sellers, director of facilities for the school district.

"If we get a bond passed, we will be leveling this building because it's one of the most difficult type of buildings, because they're taller to get with the current seismic regulations and codes," said Seller. 

He says they plan to open the school regardless, but the bond would help. 

"If we don't pass a bond, we'll be doing whatever kind of structural work we could do with this building and then just give it a little facelift," said Sellers. 

But upgrades are needed at schools all across the county, which explains the 11 other similar bond measures placed on the ballot by all different school districts and a community college district. 

That's because although schools get state and federal funds for educational programs and teacher salaries, those funds cannot be used towards construction or building upgrades, according to Rachel Chang-Kwei, registered municipal adviser for Menifee Union and several other K-14 schoools.

"Public schools, including community colleges, they do receive funding from the state in addition to federal and local sources. But those funding are meant to say what we call inside the classroom," said Chang-Kwei, senior vice president at Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates, Inc.

However, she says there is also something called the "Developer Fee," which is a rate that developers have to pay to school districts to help them build schools to address the student population they're bringing in with their new homes.

She says the measure also requires an oversight comittee and an independent audit, but it does means an increase to property taxes. 

"School districts, or any public agencies, they do not get to raise taxes without the vote of the people. So that's why you see all these bond measures on the November cycle. It is the district asking for the voters approval to raise property taxes," said Chang-Kwei.

Each measure varies — but usually, if approved, the school district is allowed to take out a loan that is then repaid with interest through an increase in property taxes. 

Measure R would raise 3 cents out of every $100 of assessed value. Chang-Kwei says it depends on the bond, but the more common ones like Measure R need a 55% voter approval to pass. This could be challenging to overcome opposition, especially given the economic hard times many people are facing.

"The school districts, they interact with parents every day, but the majority of the voting population are not parents," said Chang-Kwei. 

She noted that presidential years are good bets for districts as more people turnout, explaining that could be one reason for the high number of education based bond measures across the state. 

"Here we are, a presidential election year where you usually see a greater number of bond measures, along with those pent up demands. That's why you see 260 [bond measures]. I think that before 2024 of November, the highest number we saw was about 200 bond measures, and that was back in November of 2016," said Chang-Kwei. 

She explained that 2020 was not a good year for districts to place bond measures, as people were still in the early stages of dealing with economic hardship from the pandemic. 

Now with 12 bond measures across the county, voters will have to do their own studying on what their local school district is asking for to make their decision.