The Riverside Unified School District officially abandoned plans for a long-proposed STEM Education Center on the University of California, Riverside campus following the release of a critical report by the California State Auditor.
The science, technology, engineering and math teaching project had been in development since 2013 and the school district's general obligation bonds were used to fund its planning, the audit report said.
It was canceled after state auditors identified a decade of "administrative failures," "delayed decision-making," and "inconsistent communication" that hampered the project's progress.
The State Auditor's Office released
While the auditor concluded that the district's actions complied with applicable laws, the report criticized RUSD for failing to be transparent with the public.
Specifically, auditors noted that the district did not publish a 2018 ground lease term sheet in its meeting minutes. Furthermore, some board members had raised concerns regarding the district's investment in a facility located on university-owned land, particularly that ownership could revert back to the university at the end of lease terms.
The audit also took aim at the district's management of Measure O, a $392 million bond measure approved by voters in 2016 for school facility projects. While the auditor confirmed spending remained within legal ballot language, the report stated that the district "missed key opportunities to clearly communicate its priorities" to the public about which projects would receive funding.
According to the report, the district's failure to include key cost components — such as the impact of inflation— resulted in inaccurate budget presentations to the public and the board. Consequently, the district was able to enter the planning, construction, or completion phase for only 41% of the projects it initially prioritized.
The audit noted that shifting funding priorities led to large allocations for fewer schools, while rising construction costs and expanded project scopes further limited what the district could accomplish.
In a joint response to the audit, RUSD and UC Riverside stated they would no longer pursue the specific STEM Education Center. Instead, the institutions intend to work together to expand STEM learning opportunities across all RUSD schools.
RUSD Superintendent Sonia Llamas framed the pivot as an opportunity to refresh the district's approach. "Leadership has changed in both organizations, and with that comes an opportunity to think more expansively about our approach to partnership in service of Riverside's students," Llamas said.
UC Riverside Chancellor S. Jack Hu affirmed the university's continued commitment to the partnership. "This 'collaborative move' will allow the two educational institutions to explore how they can leverage the experience in STEM education to broaden opportunities across more schools," Hu said.
The RUSD board "welcomed this audit and its findings," Board President Noemi Hernandez Alexander said Wednesday.
"Our community entrusted us with these resources, and we take that responsibility seriously," Alexander said.
She ticked off a list of projects paid for by Measure O money including modernized classrooms and libraries, new kindergarten buildings, pool and gym renovations, upgraded science facilities and two brand new neighborhood schools.
"This is what $392 million in voter-approved investment looks like, and Riverside families see it every day," she said.
The district contended in its statement that the audit affirmed the school district's "responsible stewardship," of Measure O local bond funds.
"The audit confirmed that the district's process for selecting Measure O projects complied with applicable laws and requirements, and that expenditures align with the ballot language approved by nearly 70% of Riverside voters in 2016," according to the statement. "This finding is consistent with two prior court rulings in the district's factor following legal challenges brought by Riversiders Against Increased Taxes."
RUSD serves 38,000 students across 51 schools, according to the audit report. Among its schools is the Riverside STEM Academy, a grade 5 through 12 program recognized for its academic excellence.
The district had pursued the STEM Education Center with UCR to address capacity limitations at the academy and expand STEM offerings. The proposed center would have served up to 1,200 high school students, with grades 5 through 8 remaining at the current academy site.
RUSD and UCR told the auditor in a May 22 response to the audit report that "they are no longer seeking to develop the proposed STEM Education Center on the UCR campus while both institutions work together to expand and strengthen STEM learning, college readiness, and community-supported opportunities for students across all RUSD schools."
