Monday night, March 17, the county committee held its final public hearing regarding the future of Malibu’s school district. The meeting took place at 6 p.m. at the Pico Boulevard campus of Santa Monica College, a location 47 miles away from Malibu High School via the 101 and 405 freeways.
During the meeting, the City of Malibu presented its case for the establishment of a separate school district, advocating for more localized control and attention to the needs of Malibu’s students and families. Following the presentation, representatives from Santa Monica rebutted the proposal, outlining their position and concerns.
Each side was given 20 minutes to present their case, followed by 45 minutes of public comments, where residents of both Malibu and Santa Monica voiced their support and concerns. Afterward, the committee heard summations before concluding the meeting.
The committee will vote next month on the matter. However, the vote is advisory to the LA County Board of Education, which will then hold its own advisory vote. That vote will be forwarded to the State Board of Education, which could take up to four years to render a decision.
The process could be expedited with special legislation in Sacramento, but that remains uncertain at this time. The Malibu Times will continue to follow this issue closely and provide updates as they become available.