The Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization placed the City’s petition on its agenda for final consideration on May 29, 2025, voting to deny the petition in a 5-4 vote.

Updated Revenue Sharing Agreement draft, 04/23/25
Undated Revenue Sharing Agreement Exhibits draft, 04/23/25
Updated Joint Powers Agreement draft, 04/23/25
Updated Operational Transfer Agreement draft, 04/23/25

Special Board of Education Meeting: Oct. 15, 2024 to Discuss Unification
Revenue Sharing Agreement draft, 10/15/24
Revenue Sharing Agreement executive summary draft, 10/15/24
Operational Transfer Agreement draft, 10/15/24
Operational Transfer Agreement executive summary draft, 10/15/24
Joint Powers Agreement draft, 10/15/24
Joint Powers Agreement executive summary draft, 10/15/24

SMMUSD and City of Malibu Reach New Milestone in School Separation Efforts with Three Key Agreements

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and the City of Malibu are pleased to announce that both entities’ subcommittees have come to an agreement on a proposed school separation package. This package is a significant milestone in their ongoing efforts to establish an independent Malibu Unified School District (MUSD). The package is now ready for public review and includes three key agreements: A Revenue Sharing Agreement, an Operations Transfer Agreement, and a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Agreement.

These agreements outline the framework for how resources, operations and services will be shared or divided between the two entities, ensuring that both Malibu and Santa Monica students continue to receive a high-quality education post-separation.
Separation Package details:

1. Revenue Sharing Agreement: This agreement outlines the distribution of existing and projected revenues between SMMUSD and the successor educational entities, ensuring financial stability for both districts.
2. Operational Transfer Agreement: This agreement details the allocation of staffing, operational processes, and resources, facilitating an efficient division of services and resources between SMUSD and MUSD.
3. Joint Powers Agreement (JPA): This agreement establishes a shared entity responsible for overseeing and implementing the agreements governing the planned division of SMMUSD.

SMMUSD To Oppose City of Malibu Unification Petition After the City Abandons a Mutually Agreed Upon Timeline for Completion of the Unification Process, July 18, 2024

Preliminary report to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization concerning a proposal to form the Malibu Unified School District from territory in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, prepared by the Los Angeles County Office of Education Division of Business Advisory Services, September 2, 2021, Spanish

Petition for Unification, August 31, 2017

SMMUSD and City of Malibu Announce Community Meetings to Present Tentative Revenue Sharing Agreement for School Separation Efforts May 2, 2024

City of Malibu and SMMUSD Announce Milestone in School Separation Efforts with Tentative Agreement on Revenue Sharing, April 11, 2024

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and City of Malibu Announce Progress on School District Separation, October 28, 2022

Term Sheet for the formation of Malibu Unified School District & Santa Monica Unified School District from the territory of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, October 28, 2022

SMMUSD Presentation: Rationale for Denial of the City of Malibu Petition, Hearing November 10, 2021

Superintendent's Message: Join Us at the Upcoming County Committee Hearing on Nov. 10, 2021 to Oppose City of Malibu's Unification Petition, November 8, 2021
Mensaje del Superintendente: Acompáñenos en la próxima audiencia del Comité del Condado en oposición a la Petición de Unificación de la Ciudad de Malibú, el 10 de noviembre de 2021

Oppose Malibu Petition - sign up form: https://bit.ly/OpposePetition111021

Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization Votes to Take Additional Time to Consider the City of Malibu’s Proposal to Leave the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, September 18, 2021
El Comité de Organización de Distritos Escolares del Condado de Los Ángeles vota para tener tiempo adicional para considerar la propuesta de la Ciudad de Malibú de separarse del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Santa Mónica-Malibú

Superintendent's Message: LA County Committee Report Reflects a “Dire” Financial Future for students of Santa Monica if City of Malibu’s Proposal to Split the District is Approved
https://www.smmusd.org/cms/lib/CA50000164/Centricity/Domain/1792/Drati-LACOEReport091021.pdf

Mensaje del Superintendente: El informe del Comité del Condado de Los Ángeles refleja un “grave” futuro financiero para los estudiantes de Santa Mónica si se aprueba la propuesta de la Ciudad de Malibú para separarse del distrito
https://www.smmusd.org/cms/lib/CA50000164/Centricity/Domain/1792/Drati-LACOEReport091021SP.pdf

Preliminary report to the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization concerning a proposal to form the Malibu Unified School District from territory in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, prepared by the Los Angeles County Office of Education Division of Business Advisory Services, 9/2/21

Informe ejecutivo - Español: Informe preliminar al Comité del Condado de Los Ángeles sobre la Organización del Distrito Escolar sobre una propuesta para formar el Distrito Escolar Unificado de Malibú desde el territorio del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Santa Mónica-Malibú, preparado por la División de Educación de la Oficina de Educación del Condado de Los Ángeles. Servicios de asesoramiento empresarial, 9/17/21

April 27, 2021

County Committee Public Hearing on Malibu Petition for Unification, 4/17/21

April 18, 2021

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Makes its Case that City of Malibu’s Petition for Unification Will Create Irreparable Damage to Children in Santa Monica and Malibu and Invites the City to Return to the Negotiating Table

April 16, 2021

SMMUSD Rejects Latest City of Malibu Unification Offer but Reaffirms its Offer to Return to the Negotiating Table with the City

Superintendent’s Message: Critical Time Regarding Malibu Unification Efforts School Board Votes to Deny Malibu City Proposal

Malibu Unification Offer Denied, 04/09/21 - English
Malibu Unification Offer Denied, 04/09/21 - Spanish
Territory separation analysis update, April 2021

What You Need to Know About the City of Malibu’s Attempt to Split from the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and Why All Who Support Santa Monica Students’ Futures Must Oppose It

Malibu Unification Package, 4/2021

Malibu Unification FAQ

Malibu Unification FAQ, 11/24/20
Preguntas frecuentes: Unificación de Malibu, 11/24/20

SSC Review of Revue Options for District Reorganization

SSC Report
SSC Presentation

SMMUSD School Board Approves Framework for Malibu Unification

Fifty-year revenue-sharing plan recommended The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education approved a framework for Malibu unification, with a 50-year revenue sharing plan, at a special board meeting held on March 20, 2018 in the district's boardroom in Santa Monica. After a three-hour presentation and discussion, the school board voted 6-1 to approve a unification plan that will be pursued provided that the City of Malibu withdraws or temporarily halts consideration of the petition by Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization while additional details of this concept are worked out.

Read more about the unification plan proposal >
Lea más sobre la propuesta del plan de unificación >

MUNC Community Meetings
Negotiations Committee
Committee Meetings
Committee's Purpose and Board of Education's Objectives
Analysis of MUNC Reports (October 2017)
Supplemental Memo Report (July 2017)
MUNC Memorandum Report (February 2017)
Petition for Unification (August 2017)
Board of Education Resolution In Opposition to the Unification Petition Submitted to LACOE by the Malibu City Council (December 14, 2017)