The Beverly Hills City Council approved the Joint Powers Agreement on May 19. (photo by Tabor Brewster)

The city of Beverly Hills on May 19 approved a new Joint Powers Agreement with the Beverly Hills Unified School District, pending ratification by the BHUSD Board of Education on May 26.  The city and BHUSD have used the structure of joint power agreements dating back to 1977 for the purpose of outlining shared use of facilities, recreational programming and technology support.

Under the new agreement, BHUSD will assume responsibility for several programs previously administered by the city, effective Aug. 1, including all afternoon programming at BHUSD elementary schools and all city-run camps at district facilities. In addition, responsibility for the State-Licensed Preschool Program, currently administered by the city, will transition to BHUSD in fall 2026.

The JPA includes nearly $39 million in city financial contributions to BHUSD over the three-year term of the agreement, including $13,750,000 for fiscal year 2026-27, $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2027-28 and $12,250,000 for fiscal year 2028-29.

“For almost a half-century, the city has supported BHUSD through the Joint Powers Agreement, and this new three-year arrangement reaffirms our commitment to the success of the district and its students,” Beverly Hills Mayor Craig Corman said.

The JPA includes a memorandum of understanding related to digital monitoring and broadcasting technology outlining the district’s responsibility regarding closed-circuit television, automated license plate readers, unarmed aircraft systems operations and other security equipment. The agreement also memorializes the Beverly Hills Police Department’s continuous support to BHUSD through school resource officers and other technical support.

“Families move to Beverly Hills because they believe in the strength of our schools, the quality of our programs and the investment this community makes in its children,” BHUSD Board of Education President Judy Manouchehri said. “This agreement reflects a shared vision between the city of Beverly Hills and Beverly Hills Unified School District to continue building on that legacy together. We are incredibly grateful for the confidence the city has placed in our district by asking us to take on these important programs and services. This partnership creates new opportunities to better serve our students, families, and community while strengthening the collaboration that has defined Beverly Hills for generations.”

For information, visit beverlyhill.org.