By Lookout Staff

May 2, 2024 -- Two community meetings will take place in Santa Monica this month to present a tentative agreement that paves the way for Malibu to split from the School District, SMMUSD officials announced Thursday.

The meetings will explain the recently released revenue sharing arrangement District officials called a "significant milestone" in Malibu's 13-year effort to form its own school district ("'Milestone' Reached in Efforts to Split School District," April 15, 2024).

The tentative agreement, which was presented at a Malibu City Council meeting April 11, is subject to approval by the Malibu Council and School Board, District officials said.

"Parents, staff, and community members are encouraged to attend a meeting in-person or virtually (for meetings offered) to better understand the projected outcomes" of the separation, officials said.

"This milestone achievement reflects the commitment of both the City of Malibu and SMMUSD to uphold guiding principles that prioritize equity, fairness, and local control in education."

The first meeting will take place Tuesday, May 7, at 6 p.m. in the Santa Monica High School Cafeteria, 600 Olympic Boulevard. The meeting -- which is in-person only -- is hosted by the Santa Monica-Malibu Parent Teacher Association.

It will be followed on Wednesday, May 22, with a special School Board meeting at 6 p.m. that can be attended both in-person and online. The hybrid meeting link will be posted online on May 20 at https://www.smmusd.org/domain/2977

For more information on the separation efforts, visit www.MalibuCity.org/MUSD or SMMUSD’s webpage at www.smmusd.org/MalibuUnification.