Santa Rosa Schools Undergo $129 Million in Construction Projects

Campuses are being repurposed and upgraded to accommodate shifting student populations ahead of the new school year.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 2:06pm

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Santa Rosa City Schools is undertaking a massive $129 million construction program to prepare for the closure of six campuses and the repurposing of four others. The projects include renovations to accommodate transitional kindergarten and middle school students, as well as a new $56.5 million district office building.

Why it matters

The construction projects are part of a larger budget-driven reconfiguration of the district, which is closing six schools and moving thousands of students and teachers to new campuses. This upheaval aims to address the district's long-standing fiscal challenges, but has raised concerns from the community about the impact on students and families.

The details

The construction work includes retrofitting the closed Albert Biella Elementary to serve the district's youngest students, adding transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms to the former Santa Rosa Middle School campus for the French-American Charter, and building a new two-story classroom building at Piner High School to house 400-500 incoming seventh and eighth graders. The district is also demolishing its current administrative offices to construct a new $56.5 million district headquarters.

  • Construction on the new district office is expected to begin later this month and wrap up by December 2027.
  • The campus projects are set to be completed by August 1, several weeks before the start of the new school year.

The players

Santa Rosa City Schools

The largest and most fiscally troubled school district in Sonoma County, California, which is undertaking a major reconfiguration and construction program.

Lisa August Hulme

The interim superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools.

Melanie Charter

A teacher in the district's 18-22 transitions program, which will be housed in the new district office building.

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What they’re saying

“(The program) is going to get brand new facilities, which will be great. Right now we are in different areas on campus and have to move classrooms often. It will be nice to have a permanent spot.”

— Melanie Charter, Teacher, 18-22 transitions program

What’s next

The district is set to discuss its latest timeline for ongoing and future projects at its April 22 school board meeting, where trustees are expected to weigh and approve an updated facilities master plan.

The takeaway

The construction projects are a critical part of Santa Rosa City Schools' efforts to address its long-standing budget challenges through campus consolidations and program changes, though the upheaval has raised concerns from the community about the impact on students and families.