LTE - The fallacy of the 79%

Recently certain board members have said we need to focus on “the 79% of the population of Laguna Beach that doesn’t have kids in the school district.” Let’s double-click on this.

Strap in – we’re getting math-y.

The 79% number was taken from the district’s 2023 Annual Report which says the district serves 21.8% of the households in the city. Leaving aside the rounding error, the inference the board member makes is two-fold. First, that 79% of the population are not served by the school district. Second, that these 79% are funding the schools.

The first the “get off my lawn” argument – i.e., there are vanishingly few kids in town who are disrupting the serenity of the other residents. This is primarily what the anti-pool crowd is concerned about – lights and construction noise.

Here, the board is sloppily conflating households with population; 21% of the households have kids, but households with families have more than one person. In fact, closer to 40% of the population are adults and children living together.

The second argument is that these serene, childless residents are subsiding the schooling of those few kids.

Schools are funded from property tax. Laguna Beach’s median tax rate of 1.12% is actually below the county and state rates. On average, a home owned since 1980 will pay about 10% of the same house purchased in the last five years.

The city generates around $200m in property tax per year. By state mandate, about 25% goes to the city and about 25% goes to the schools; an additional 20% goes to support underfunded schools. So, the district gets $50m; the city gets $50m.

More than 20% of our housing stock are second homes that pay taxes but don’t use services. These taxes subsidize residents in every aspect of the city – from the school district to Susi Q.

Additionally, 50% of the housing stock in Laguna Beach has turned over in the last 20 years. The vast majority of these sales were to young families or to second homeowners who pay higher tax rates.

There is one more very important point: LBUSD is bigger than the city – it includes Emerald Bay, Irvine Cove, Crystal Cove and parts of Aliso Viejo. This is a large, affluent area with literally billions of dollars of property value paying taxes netting more than $20m for our district.

We have a large tax base supporting a relatively small population of residents of all kinds. Citizens should embrace the school district’s efforts to modernize facilities as it allows the city to focus on other priorities.

In sum, “the 79%” are not actually 79% and they are not subsidizing kids.

One more point, at various times I have heard citizens question why we would invest anything in the schools since our population is declining. I find this profoundly nihilistic and depressing – to suggest we should all just sit back and watch the town die. Moreover, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy as families will no longer move into town for our amazing schools. As houses turnover, they will be bought by out-of-town people who have no connection to the vibrant heart of our community resulting in a place that is dead nine months out of the year.

We are endowed with an immense natural, cultural and historical legacy which we should all endeavor to preserve.

Newth Morris (proud father of three kids in the district)

Board Member, FUEL

Laguna Beach

LTE - There’s a new special Interest Group in Town

Some in our community dismiss us as a handful of disgruntled parents, a so-called “special interest group” with an ax to grind against the new school board majority. Fine. Consider us a special interest group—one singularly focused on the best interests of our children.

We are a powerful force of 300 and growing—parents, caregivers, grandparents, doctors, lawyers, business owners, homemakers and neighbors who refuse to stand idly by while school board dysfunction undermines our children’s futures. We are organizing with a strength and unity our community has never witnessed—mobilized, informed, and relentless in our demand for competent leadership, a school board that puts students above politics, and a staff empowered to deliver nothing less than exceptional education. We are FUEL—Families United for Education in Laguna, a 501(c)(4) non-profit advocacy group—and we are just getting started. The change we seek is inevitable.

While we were disappointed to lose a strong leader for the district, we embrace change and know that brighter days lie ahead. This transition presents an opportunity to push our district even further with new, innovative leadership —one that will build on past successes and drive us toward an even stronger future. We recognize that staying the best unified school district in the county—and among the best in the state—requires commitment, vision and investment. That means prioritizing not just academic excellence and continuing to invest in social-emotional wellness. It also means investing in facilities that support world-class education and the student-athletes and artists who represent our schools with pride.

For the past two months, we have done what the board majority should have: researching, engaging stakeholders, and identifying best practices to strengthen our schools. We are armed with facts, and we are prepared to hold leadership accountable.

Elections have consequences, and this one served as a wake-up call. Now, a broad coalition of passionate, capable and vigilant community members is paying attention and is ready to take necessary action. We refuse to dwell on the past—we are focused on the future for our children and the generations to come.

Our schools deserve better. Our children deserve better. And we are here to ensure they get it.

Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, President, FUEL Laguna Beach

FUEL LTE - Dear Potential Superintendent

The Laguna Beach Unified School District has a history of excellence—built through years of thoughtful leadership, dedicated educators and a community deeply invested in student success. We are looking for a superintendent who will embrace and advance the mission of this district: to ensure that each student gains the knowledge, experience, world perspectives, and skills needed to become a lifelong learner and producer in a competitive and interconnected world.

To potential candidates, know that you will be stepping into a district with engaged, passionate, and supportive families who believe in our district’s vision: We take ownership of each child’s learning in our schools, accepting no limits on potential. Parents and community members have come together to form Families Unified for Education in Laguna, a non-partisan 501(c)(4) with the primary purpose of promoting and advocating for a collaborative, transparent, and student-focused education system of the Laguna Beach Unified School District.  Put in the context of a Sup search, we are dedicated to ensuring that this process—and the leadership that emerges from it—keeps students at the center of every decision. We see ourselves not as adversaries but as partners in this work, ready to support the next superintendent in building on the district’s strengths and ensuring that our schools continue to thrive.

The students of this district deserve greatness. They deserve a leader who believes in their limitless potential and will champion their success. We are committed to working alongside the board, the search firm, and the future superintendent to make sure that happens.

The FUEL Board: Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, Iva Pawling, Newth Morris, Claudia Morris, Emily Rolfing, Matt Gummow, Danielle Roedersheimer, and Julie Gersten

LTE - Howard Hills: Be silent money, not a woobie-hugger

We all gravitate toward what we know. As a licensed attorney, I regularly turn to rules and structure—they’re my comfort zone. I understand why someone with a law degree, like school boardmember Hills, might lean on legal frameworks. But here’s the thing about laws: they’re always playing catch-up.

Laws, including school board policies, serve as scaffolding—a starting point, not the endgame. Policies reflect education code, government code and attorney general opinions. They’re meant to set parameters, not dictate the roll-up-your-sleeves, in-the-trenches work staff and educators do daily. School boards review policies periodically to ensure compliance, but real governance comes from empowering experts, not micromanaging the rulebook.

At last Thursday’s meeting, Mr. Hills waxed poetic about a sweeping policy review under the guise of “good governance.” Yet, in the same breath, he publicly disparaged award-winning staff—directly contradicting the principles of collaboration and respect that underpin effective leadership and actual good governance.

Clinging to policies for a lawyer is understandable—it’s safe, like hugging a woobie. But Mr. Hills is missing the point. Governance isn’t about obsessing over the scaffolding; it’s about enabling the creative and functional work of experts to thrive within those boundaries.

As someone who works with startups, I see this dynamic every day. Success comes when we give experts a framework (the law), resources (financing), and freedom to iterate and innovate. That’s how unicorns are born.

In venture capital, we categorize investors as Smart Money, Dumb Money and Silent Money. Smart Money contributes expertise and connections to drive success. Dumb Money disrupts with bad advice and inefficiency. Silent Money—the second-best kind—steps back, periodically checks progress, asks the right questions, and says, “What do you need from me to succeed?”

Mr. Hills, it’s time to take a cue from Silent Money. Instead of clinging to policies and undermining staff, get quiet. Observe the extraordinary work that dedicated professionals have accomplished to date. Celebrate their success. Then, simply ask, “How can I help you take this to the next level?”

Laguna Beach students deserve a school board that fosters progress—not one bogged down in distractions.

Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, Laguna Beach

Understand The CEQA process for lbusd pool reconstruction project

The Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) is moving forward with plans to reconstruct the pool at Laguna Beach High School (LBHS). As part of the approval process, the district must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to evaluate potential environmental impacts and ensure the project is designed responsibly.

Following an Initial Study, the district determined that all potential environmental impacts—such as noise, lighting, and water use—can be fully mitigated, allowing them to prepare a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) rather than a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The public comment period for submitting written comments on the MND has now closed, and the district is holding a public hearing to decide whether to formally adopt the document and move the project forward.

What is the CEQA Process for This Project?

1. Initial Study

The district conducted an environmental review to analyze potential impacts related to traffic, air quality, noise, water use, and other factors. If significant environmental effects could not be mitigated, an EIR would have been required; however, because all issues were deemed manageable through mitigation, an MND was prepared instead.

2. Public Review and Written Comment Period (Now Closed)

The district made the MND available for public review for the legally required 20–30 days. During this time, agencies and the public had the opportunity to submit written comments.

3. Public Hearing for MND Adoption (Upcoming)

The LBUSD Board of Education will hold a public hearing to discuss the MND, mitigation measures, and any remaining concerns. Members of the public may provide oral comments at the hearing, but the formal written comment period has closed. The board will then decide whether to adopt the MND or request further modifications.

Who Makes the Decisions in This Process?

Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Board of Education – As the lead agency, the school district is responsible for reviewing the MND and determining if it adequately addresses environmental impacts. The board will vote on whether to adopt the MND and allow the project to move forward.

What Can the Public Accomplish at the Hearing?

Although the written comment period is closed, community members may still attend the hearing and provide oral comments regarding the project. However, at this stage, the district’s decision will be based on whether:

• The MND adequately mitigates potential impacts and meets CEQA requirements.

• There is a reasonable basis to modify mitigation measures before adoption.

• The project can proceed without further environmental review.

Any new concerns raised at the hearing that were not previously addressed in the MND could influence the mitigation measures if the board finds them valid. However, changes at this stage are generally minor adjustments, not broad project redesigns.

Next Steps After the Hearing

1. If the board adopts the MND, the district will file a Notice of Determination (NOD), and the project will move forward to the next phase.

2. If the board decides that additional modifications are needed, they may require further revisions before adopting the MND.

3. If new substantial environmental concerns arise, the district would have to determine whether more environmental review is necessary.

The LBHS pool reconstruction project has undergone extensive environmental review, and the district has worked to ensure that potential concerns are addressed through mitigation measures. The public hearing is the final step before the board makes a decision on whether to adopt the MND and allow the project to move forward.