District Plans Community Meetings To Air Details Of SMMUSD Separation

SANTA MONICA, CA — After Malibu and Santa Monica reached a major milestone in the long, winding and complex path of creating separate school districts, officials are inviting the community meetings meant to help residents understand the implications of the plan.

The city of Malibu and the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District recently announced they have reached a tentative pact on a revenue-sharing agreement that will dictate some of the financial terms of the creation of separate Malibu and Santa Monica school districts.

Two community meetings are planning for Santa Monica residents to learn about the agreement:

• Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Santa Monica High School Cafeteria, hosted by the Santa Monica-Malibu Parent Teacher Association
• May 22 at 6 p.m. during the SMMUSD Board of Education Special Meeting at the District Office and online. A meeting link will be posted online on May 20.

"Parents, staff, and community members are encouraged to attend a meeting in-person or virtually (for meetings offered) to better understand the projected outcomes for both a future Santa Monica Unified School District and Malibu Unified School District. This milestone achievement reflects the commitment of both the city of Malibu and SMMUSD to uphold guiding principles that prioritize equity, fairness, and local control in education," the district wrote.