SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – On Monday morning, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) gathered at Tahoe Valley Elementary for a groundbreaking of its campus modernization effort. The project, funded through Measure U, is anticipated to finish in summer of 2027 and is just one of the several projects that will see classroom updates and infrastructure improvements in the district.

Measure U, which passed with a 61% approval in the 2024 election, authorized the district to release $127 million in bonds to fund classroom updates, asbestos removal and safety improvements. The measure also came with an increased property tax levy to help fund these projects.

Tahoe Valley Elementary will be having some substantial changes, including the construction of a new classroom to replaced the portable classrooms that they are demolishing. The project is also improving the parking and drop-off corridors for traffic flow. According to Studio W Architects, the construction cost is roughly $17.5 million. The modernization will improve all classrooms, multi-purpose and administrative spaces.

Studio W Architects CEO Brian Whitmore said, “Overall, the improvements are meant to strengthen the educational environments while promoting comprehensive safety and security campus-wide for years to come.”

LTUSD chief financial officer Kelly Buttery said, “This will drastically change the look of Tahoe Valley.” The project will also involve the creation of a new covered area and welcoming hub for students and guardians, new playgrounds and updated hard courts.

The board of trustees were excited for the project’s progress, which has moved fairly swiftly since the approval of Measure U.

Public information officer Teresa Schow said that the district began reaching out as soon as the measure was approved, as moving quickly can ensure securing of the best contacts. “Getting this far this quickly is impressive,” Schow said.

The projects at the middle school have also begun, and starting these projects while school is still in session is a part of their strategy to get the construction done by the projected date of next year’s summer.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley. Learn more at https://fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows/.