Malibu to Move Forward Unilaterally with School Separation Petition. Public Hearings Nov. 8 & 13.

LA COUNTY TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS NOVEMBER 8 & 13

The City of Malibu has announced on October 25 that it will move forward with its school separation petition unilaterally, following a unanimous vote by the City Council. This decision comes after the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SM-MUSD) Board failed to approve the separation agreement recommended by their school separation Subcommittee within the deadlines established by the District.

The City will now submit an independent feasibility study to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization as a supplemental report to its original 2017 petition. The new study no longer includes several financial terms previously offered by Malibu in an effort to work collaboratively with SM-MUSD. This update does not negate the City's original petition. Instead, it builds upon the financial and operational assumptions that made the separation feasible in the agreements that the District failed to ratify.

"Malibu has been working in good faith to reach an agreement with SM-MUSD that would create a fair and equitable separation for both communities," said Doug Stewart, Mayor of Malibu. "However, due to the Board's failure to meet the agreed-upon deadlines, Malibu will now proceed independently with the process. The independent feasibility study we are submitting no longer includes the significant financial concessions we had offered in a spirit of cooperation but still honors the guiding principles that made separation feasible. We are now asking the County Committee to review our petition, inclusive of the new independent feasibility study, at the upcoming November hearings."

In an effort to work collaboratively with SM-MUSD, Malibu offered several financial concessions, anticipating that these terms would help ensure a seamless process once both parties agreed on the core financial aspects. Now, Malibu's 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 MUSD is in the best interest of all students; and (2) both MUSD and SMUSD will receive sufficient funding to provide a similar level of service that existed before separation.

Based on the extensive discussions and information shared between the parties over the past several years, the City is confident that both the newly established Malibu Unified School District and the reorganized SMMUSD will be fiscally solvent at the time of separation. The updated feasibility study will demonstrate that both districts can operate independently while maintaining financial stability.

The City remains committed to forming an independent Malibu Unified School District that re-prioritizes the educational needs of Malibu students, that reflects the community's unique needs and values, and that provides Malibu residents with local control. The County Committee will consider the City's petition at two upcoming public hearings:

• Friday, November 8, 6:00 PM - SMMUSD District Office Board Room, 1717 4th Street, Santa Monica
• Wednesday, November 13, 6:00 PM - Malibu High School, 30215 Morning View Dr, Malibu

For more information, please visit the School Separation webpage.