VISTA, Calif. — A Vista bond passed in 2018 with a promise to invest nearly $250 million into improvements for local schools. High on the priority list was Beaumont Elementary School, but parents and teachers have been speaking out after projects for that school were paused.

“We are a school of underprivileged and overlooked children. A majority have unsafe home situations. Beaumont is their safe space and yet our facilities are not a safe space,” Amanda Remmen said.

Parents spoke out at a special board meeting Wednesday, specifically set to discuss bond measure LL. The bond passed nearly four years ago and since then about $30 million in projects have taken place. No work has reached Beaumont Elementary.

“It’s not up to par, it’s not up-to-date, there’s mold everywhere,” Adriana Diaz said.

Parents and teachers rallied, staying vocal after the board voted to put the Beaumont plans on hold in February. 

“I don’t even know why we are saying ‘pause’, it hasn’t even started. Construction hasn’t even started there, so what are we pausing?” Diaz asked.

District leaders say they need a deep dive into several schools and began the workshops Wednesday evening to reprioritize bond money. They shared that original estimates were significantly lower than the money actually needed to complete projects throughout the district.

Beaumont will be the first school to receive an assessment in early April.

“A caution to this conversation: it’s more likely than not they’re going to find a lot and that need is going to far exceed the amount of money that we have available in measure LL,” Superintendent Matt Doyle said.

There will be two more workshops to continue to determine where the remaining bond money can be spent and if any of that will end up at Beaumont. The meeting dates are set for April 21 and May 11.