By Jorge Casuso
July 2, 2026 -- The School Board last month voted to temporarily install a natural grass field at Franklin Elementary and expressed support for a moratorium on new synthetic turf fields at elementary school campuses.
The proposed moratorium "would apply to future synthetic turf play fields at elementary schools and does not affect existing synthetic turf fields or playground safety surfacing," District officials said Wednesday.
The new field -- which will be used during construction of Franklin's Early Learning Classroom Building -- will be used to "evaluate the performance, maintenance requirements and durability of a natural grass field in a high-use school environment, officials said.
"The purpose of this pilot is to gather meaningful data that will help guide future decisions about field surfaces across the District," District Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton said in a statement.
"We are committed to reviewing objective information, consulting with experts and ensuring students have access to safe, high-quality outdoor spaces."
The vote at a June 18 special School Board meeting came one month after all seven Santa Monica neighborhood groups and the local Democratic Club urged the board in a joint resolution to impose a moratorium on artificial turf.
The resolution was the latest volley in a year-long battle that erupted after the Board unanimously approved a campus renovation plan in May of last year that included replacing a natural grass field with synthetic turf.
The move was opposed by more than 1,200 residents and parents who argued the artificial turf exposes children to plastic pollution, unhealthy chemicals and excessive heat.
The pilot program, District officials said, is part of a Districtwide study during the 2026-2027 school year that compares field conditions at Franklin, McKinley, Roosevelt and Grant Elementary Schools and Will Rogers Learning Community.
"The study will collect data on field usage, maintenance costs, injuries, surface temperatures and overall field conditions to help inform future planning and investment decisions," official said.
The temporary field will remain in place until a permanent field is installed in spring 2028.
The field will use "a sand-and-peat athletic field rootzone mix, subsurface drainage and bermudagrass overseeded with perennial ryegrass," as recommended by turfgrass specialist Dr. James H. Baird of the University of California, Riverside.
The natural grass field is scheduled to be installed by the end of the month, with "light supervised use anticipated in early September and full use expected later that month once the field is fully established," District officials said.