The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education voted Dec. 18 to purchase property adjacent to Franklin Elementary School for campus expansion.
The district will acquire 814 25th St. in Santa Monica for $2.8 million, using one-time funds from its Capital Outlay Projects Budget. The purchase is not funded by general operations or voter-approved bonds, including Measure QS.
Franklin Elementary's campus is half the size recommended by the California Department of Education for its current enrollment. The school serves 631 students, down from a 2015 peak of 831, but enrollment is projected to reach 752 by 2030.
"The District welcomes the opportunity to expand Franklin's footprint and offer an improved long-term educational environment for the betterment of student learning," said Carey Upton, district chief operations officer.
Under the purchase agreement, the current resident will occupy the house through November 2027. District staff will evaluate how the property can best serve the school's needs before presenting recommendations to the Board of Education.
The board approved the current Franklin Campus Plan on May 15, along with the California Environmental Quality Act environmental impact review.
Construction's first phase begins in June 2026, when a temporary field and parking lot will be built to accommodate construction of a new transitional kindergarten and kindergarten complex. The new complex and playground are scheduled to open in January 2028.
The existing preschool will be demolished to create a staff parking lot. A new playing field is scheduled for completion in summer 2028.
Edited by SMDP Staff