Oversight Urged for Plans to Build School

Opponents of a project that would be Los Angeles’ most expensive public high school said Monday that funding the school from a recently approved bond measure would be a breach of the public’s faith if the project is not reviewed.

“The whole Temple-Beaudry project needs to go to the oversight committee,” United Teachers-Los Angeles President Day Higuchi told the school board.

The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education received the final presentation Monday of the $87-million Belmont Learning Center project, including a computerized “virtual tour” of the school.

The $85.9-million cost of building the high school at Temple Street and Beaudry Avenue would come from Proposition BB, the $2.4-billion bond issue that voters overwhelmingly passed last week, said Dominic Shambra, director of planning and development for the district. Another $1.2 million would be used for land purchases and other costs.

But opponents charged that the district did not participate in competitive bidding for contracts to design and build the school and that it is breaking a pledge to voters that any new project or repairs in the district would be reviewed by an appointed 11-member oversight committee.

District officials countered that the new high school was previously listed among the numerous projects slated for construction or repairs after the April 8 passage of the bond. Beth Louargand, the district’s director of facilities, said no statement was ever made that the oversight committee would examine any of the projects in advance.

The board is expected to vote on the project at its April 21 meeting.