Fresno Unified School Board candidate Emma Villa questioned in an op-ed why so many schools are identified as being in “poor” or unsatisfactory” condition on the district’s Measure H project list when the most recent Local Control and Accountability Plan report said 100% of the schools had been rated “good or exemplary” since 2019.

Villa, who is seeking election to the Fresno High region trustee seat, says this apparent inconsistency raises concerns for her over the accuracy and integrity of the data used to compile the project list for the $500 million bond measure, which is on the November ballot. She’s opposing it.

Related Story: I Have No Confidence in FUSD’s Measure H Projects List: Trustee Candidate ...

The facilities assessments for the bond measure and for the LCAP are conducted differently, district spokeswoman AJ Kato told GV Wire on Tuesday.

The LCAP assessments are less detailed and complex and use the facility inspection tool developed by California’s Office of Public School Construction, she said.

That tool “is designed to determine if a school is in ‘good repair’ and identify areas of a school site that are in need of repair based upon only a visual inspection,” Kato said. “Good repair is defined to mean that the facility is maintained in a manner that ensures that it is clean, safe, and functional. It does not look at infrastructure systems that are buried or enclosed.”

Different Types of Assessment

The assessments used to develop the Measure H project list were conducted by an outside consultant, MGT Consulting Group. Those assessments, initially presented to the School Board in May 2023, resulted from a thorough review of building and site conditions, “educational suitability or functionality,” and technology readiness, according to a board report.

Alex Belanger, the district’s chief executive for operations, explained MGT Consulting’s assessment process to the trustees at the Oct. 9 board meeting as they prepared to vote on the Measure H project list.

“What they did do is a very extensive review of every single school. And what that is, they just didn’t just show up and say, ‘OK, open the door. Yeah, that looks bad,'” he said. “What they do is, there’s a team. The team is comprised of architects, engineers, community members, school site professionals, all the way from the custodian to plant coordinator to academic professionals at that site. They also meet with staff, tradesmen, and things of that nature on every single campus.”

Using a 100-point scale, the consultants graded each facility’s condition as either new or like new, good, fair, poor, or unsatisfactory. Based on those assessments, the capital improvements needed were estimated in May 2023 at $2.5 billion.

If voters approve Measure H, the district would be able to sell up to $500 million in bonds over a 40-year period. Yes votes need to total at least 55% for the measure to pass.

Related Story: Fresno Trustees Vote 6-1 to OK Project List for $500M Measure H Bond

Assessments Preceded Bond Measures

MGT’s assessment of the district’s facilities was first done in 2010, updated in 2016, and then updated again recently, Belanger told the trustees.

Voters approved the $280 million Measure Q in 2010 and the $225 million Measure X in 2016.