With a loss of less than 3 percentage points, the proposed bond was also slated to provide 12 to 14 permanent classrooms at Liberty High School, a new community theater at Freedom High School, and allow for the allocation of $2 million dollars toward the purchase of property for a fifth high school.
What happens now, said Liberty Union High School Superintendent Dan Smith, remains to be seen.
"Well yes, we're disappointed, but mostly for the students," said Smith. "It was close, but at this point it's too early to know why it failed. We'll look at the data and make some decisions. I'm certain that at some point we will offer it up to the voters again. Time will tell."
In other district news, the LUHSD School Board, which had three available seats, welcomes a new member along with two incumbents.
Yolanda Mendrek, a long-time educator and first-time board member, says the board's immediate priority should include taking a fresh look at the defeated Measure K.
"I think the first thing we need to do is go back to the drawing board regarding Measure K. We still need the new schools; those students aren't going to go away. So we need to bring it back in some way so that the people will vote it in."
Fifth-term incumbent Joanne Byer looks forward to a productive and exciting new term.
"I'm delighted to have won," said Byer. "I campaigned hard and I'm glad it worked out. I'm ready to go. I really want to see the new school on Sellers, so I'm hoping we get Measure K back on the ballot."
For incumbent Stephen Barr, Measure K's defeat offers the board an opportunity to retool the bond.
"Since this was my first election," said Barr, who was appointed last term, "I wasn't sure what to expect; I was guardedly optimistic. But I'm very happy to have won, and since we didn't get the bond measure passed, we will need to figure out how to deal with that and what to do next."
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