Orange Unified School District’s Measure S was a $288 million general-obligation bond approved by voters in November 2016 to improve facilities at Villa Park, Orange, Canyon and El Modena high schools. Measure S work was organized into two major phases: Phase I centered on new science and STEM facilities at the four comprehensive high schools, while Phase II addressed additional campus-specific classroom, accessibility, infrastructure and modernization needs.
What Is OUSD Measure S?
Measure S authorized $288 million in school bonds for improvements at Orange Unified’s four comprehensive high schools. The district allocated the voter-approved bond program among Canyon, El Modena, Orange and Villa Park high schools, with Phase I focused on science and STEM facilities and Phase II tailored to additional needs at each campus.
Measure S was intended to address aging facilities and infrastructure and to update classrooms, science labs, career-training facilities, libraries, computer systems and other school facilities. The bond program also includes independent citizen oversight and public audits.
Measure S at Villa Park High School
Villa Park High School opened in 1964 and is Orange Unified’s second-oldest high school. Long-term facilities studies identified aging buildings and portable classrooms as major campus needs. Measure S provided funding for a new science center in Phase I and a new classroom building plus accessibility and infrastructure improvements in Phase II.
Villa Park High School Science Center
The approximately 47,000-square-foot Villa Park High School Science Center was the campus’s major Phase I Measure S project. The completed facility includes four chemistry labs, eight science labs, two standard classrooms and a living-skills suite serving students with moderate-to-severe special-education needs.
- Four chemistry labs and eight science labs
- Two standard classrooms
- Living-skills suite
- New student lockers
- Stormwater bioretention improvements
- Campus circulation and student drop-off improvements
- Drought-tolerant and native landscaping
The project replaced an older campus building and reduced reliance on portable classrooms. Construction began in 2019, the building reached its topping-out milestone in February 2020, and the completed facility was previewed in December 2021 before opening for student use in early 2022. LPA provided design services for the Villa Park project.
VPHS Measure S Phase II
Phase II moved beyond the science center and focused on additional classroom capacity, accessibility, security and aging infrastructure. The approved Villa Park High School scope included demolition of the former Building 500, construction of a new two-story classroom building and upgrades to the existing 100/200 building.
- New approximately 36,000-square-foot, two-story classroom building
- 18 general classrooms of approximately 1,200 square feet each
- Staff lounge, meeting room and support spaces
- Accessible restroom improvements in the 100/200 building
- New passenger elevator and replacement/relocation of stairs at the 100/200 building
- Security, fencing and campus-perimeter improvements
- Utility, drainage and site improvements serving the new building
OUSD reported Phase II construction underway in December 2022 and estimated a roughly two-year construction period. On October 26, 2023, the new classroom building reached its topping-out milestone when the final structural beam was installed. OUSD’s current Measure S materials continue to maintain the Villa Park High School Phase II plans and project documents; readers looking for the latest closeout or facilities status should consult the district’s current Measure S resources linked below.
Measure S should not be treated as the funding source for every improvement made at Villa Park High School. For example, OUSD previously identified athletic-field renovation work as funded from capital-project reserves rather than Measure S bond proceeds. Other later campus projects should likewise be evaluated separately before being described as Measure S projects.
Measure S Timeline
- November 2016: Voters approve the $288 million Measure S general-obligation bond.
- 2018: The district proceeds with the first major Measure S bond issuance and Phase I work advances.
- 2019: Construction begins on the Villa Park High School science center.
- February 2020: The VPHS science center reaches its topping-out milestone.
- 2020: Orange High School’s new STEM facility opens for student use.
- December 2021: Villa Park High School holds a preview of its completed science center.
- Early 2022: The VPHS science center opens for student use; the other Phase I science-center projects also reach completion around this period.
- 2022: Phase II construction gets underway at Villa Park High School.
- October 26, 2023: The new VPHS Phase II classroom building reaches its topping-out milestone.
Measure S at Other OUSD High Schools
Measure S also funded major improvements at Orange, Canyon and El Modena high schools. Phase I delivered new science/STEM facilities at all four comprehensive high schools. Phase II then shifted to school-specific needs, including administration and student-services construction at Orange High, campus modernization at El Modena and renovation work at Canyon High. Because those projects have their own schedules and scopes, OUSD’s Measure S pages are the best source for current details.
Measure S Funding & Oversight
Measure S authorized $288 million in general-obligation bonds. When the measure was presented to voters, the estimated tax rate was approximately $29 per $100,000 of assessed—not market—property value. Actual annual tax rates can change with bond issuance, assessed valuation and debt-service requirements, so historical rates should not be treated as the current rate.
An independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee reviews Measure S expenditures and reports on whether bond proceeds are being used for authorized purposes. OUSD maintains committee meeting records, annual reports and audit reports dating back to the beginning of the program.
Measure S Resources
- Orange Unified School District Measure S
- OUSD Measure S: Villa Park High School
- Measure S Citizens’ Oversight Committee
- Villa Park High School history and information
Measure S FAQ
What was OUSD Measure S?
Measure S was a $288 million Orange Unified School District general-obligation bond measure for facilities improvements at Canyon, El Modena, Orange and Villa Park high schools.
When did voters approve Measure S?
Voters approved Measure S in November 2016.
How much money did Measure S authorize?
Measure S authorized $288 million in general-obligation bonds for high-school facility improvements within Orange Unified School District.
What did Measure S fund at Villa Park High School?
Phase I funded the new science center. Phase II included a new 18-classroom building along with accessibility, restroom, stair, elevator, utility, security and site improvements.
Is the Villa Park High School science center complete?
Yes. The Phase I science center opened for student use in early 2022.
Did Measure S pay for the VPHS athletic-field renovations?
Not the athletic-field renovation project OUSD previously described in its facilities updates. The district stated that project used capital-project reserves rather than Measure S bond funds. Funding for later projects should be checked individually rather than assumed to come from Measure S.