VUSD School Closures Townhall 10-15-26

Ventura Unified School District school-closures town hall, October 15, 2026: The board received the first reading of the school-closure recommendation and heard a presentation on the yearlong review and School Closure Advisory Committee (SCAC) process. The committee’s recommendations included elementary schools for possible closure, no middle-school closures, and consideration of relocating El Camino and Pacific high schools; it identified EP Foster and Sheridan Way as alternatives where the board should choose one, not both. Trustees discussed narrowing the scope, setting a clear goal, and applying the criteria consistently. No school-closure decision or vote was taken. The district said a second reading would follow, with a study session scheduled for October 20 and further analysis to be provided before the November 10 regular meeting.

Staff presented facility information requested by the board, including portable-classroom inventories and potential capacity for additional portables, and revised classroom-usage data. The discussion referenced the district’s Measure E bond, which raised $435 million for facilities, and a speaker cited an approximately $6 million investment in EP Foster’s after-school annex. These were discussed as context for facility needs; no procurement, contract award, or spending authorization was presented or approved. Public comments focused on potential effects of closures on students, staff, school programs, transportation, enrollment, and neighborhood communities. The agenda adoption was approved 5–0; no vote was taken on the closure recommendations.