San Diego Unified School District’s $3.5 billion Measure M bond continues to lead comfortably in unofficial election results, with nearly 65% of voters supporting the proposal as of the latest available tally.

The measure had received 139,019 yes votes, or 64.86%, compared with 75,307 no votes, or 35.14%, according to NBC 7 San Diego’s election results. That puts the measure 63,712 votes ahead of opposition, well above the 55% approval threshold required for school bonds.

San Diego Unified Superintendent Fabiola Bagula issued a statement Nov. 4 acknowledging the measure’s passage, thanking voters and pledging transparency in how the district manages the funding.

“The passing of Measure M is a powerful expression of trust in our district and the future of our public schools,” Bagula said in the district’s statement.

The results remain unofficial while the San Diego County Registrar of Voters completes its canvass. County election results are scheduled to be certified by Dec. 3.

What the money would fund

Measure M would authorize up to $3.5 billion in bonds for repairs, construction and improvements across San Diego Unified’s more than 200 educational facilities.

The district’s facilities master plan identifies priorities including academic achievement, student-centered facilities, campus upgrades and district partnerships. The district manages approximately 16.6 million square feet of educational facilities, with an average building age of 42 years, according to its facilities master plan.

Eligible projects include repairs to aging buildings, improvements to special education spaces, athletic facilities, campus security and accessibility. The measure also allows funding for transitional kindergarten facilities and workforce and teacher housing.

For La Jolla homeowners, the bond would continue the district’s existing property tax rate of $32 per $100,000 in assessed value for another 10 years, according to NBC 7’s earlier explanation of the measure. While the rate would not increase under the proposal, property owners would continue paying the levy for longer.

The district has said projects will be prioritized based on facility conditions, health and safety needs, educational requirements, enrollment and available funding. No specific project list for La Jolla High School or Muirlands Middle School has been published.

A familiar playbook

If certified, Measure M would be the district’s fifth bond measure since 2008. The previous four generated approximately $11.5 billion, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Supporters have argued that continued investment is necessary to address aging facilities and avoid more expensive repairs in the future.

School board President Richard Barrera previously said the district faces hundreds of millions of dollars in annual facility deterioration costs. “Then we are digging a huge hole for future taxpayers,” Barrera said, according to NBC 7.

However, the proposal has also drawn scrutiny over how previous bond funds have been managed and whether some projects repeat priorities from earlier measures. Voice of San Diego reported in July that several Measure M project categories overlap with earlier bond priorities, including plumbing repairs, asbestos and lead removal, and vocational learning centers.

The district estimated debt service on Measure M would cost taxpayers approximately $8.1 billion, according to Voice of San Diego.

Local track record

La Jolla residents have already seen bond funding support major campus improvements. La Jolla Elementary School completed a nearly $70 million modernization in fall 2024, funded through earlier district bond measures, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association gave San Diego Unified an A+ transparency grade in its 2026 School Bond Transparency Report Card, released Oct. 7. The district has said it will prioritize transparency and responsible stewardship as it moves forward with Measure M.

The Registrar of Voters is expected to certify the county’s election results by Dec. 3.