Orange Unified is considering whether to declare nearly eight acres of fields at the back of La Veta Elementary as surplus land.
Doing so could open a pathway for the land to be sold, leased or developed for housing, prompting concerns from some neighbors.
In November, the school board approved the creation of an asset management committee — known as a “7-11 committee” — to evaluate the value of the large grassy field behind the campus.
That committee, composed of nine appointed community members, will continue to meet weekly through early June with district staff and legal counsel to provide a recommendation to the school board about what to do with the space.
La Veta Elementary was built in 1962 and has the capacity for 1,050 students.
However, the school’s enrollment has plummeted over the last decade from 846 students in 2014-15 to 410 students in 2024-25.
It’s a more severe example of declining enrollment seen across the district and state due to demographic changes.
Across its schools, Orange Unified has lost nearly 5,000 students over the last decade. It currently serves nearly 25,000, and administrators are weighing the consolidation of schools, district officials said.
“While district staff is exploring the potential consolidation of schools, this committee is not part of that study,” the district clarified in a statement on its website.
“Per the Education Code, the committee’s role is strictly advisory,” the statement continued. “They are tasked with making recommendations to the Board of Education regarding the potential surplusing of any portion of the property that may not be necessary for current and future educational use. Any decisions about the property’s future will be made by the board through a public process and in compliance with all legal requirements.”
Even with no decision about the property on the horizon, about 150 homeowners around the elementary school have started a group in opposition to the land’s development.
“We are adamantly opposed to declaring this surplus land,” said Derek Kinsey, a resident of the neighboring community and administrator for the opposition group called Keep La Veta Ours.
“We are opposed to any type of selling of this land, leasing of this land, to any type of development,” he said.
Orange Unified Board President Kris Erickson said during a recent board meeting that the district remains committed to transparent communication regarding this process.
“I have heard some misinformation about La Veta having been declared surplus and being sold for high-density housing,” she said. “I just want to assure you that is completely false. The 7-11 committee has only met twice and hasn’t made a single recommendation to the Board of Education.”
“There’s no rush to do this,” she continued. “We want to get to the right decision because we want to do the best for our students and for the students in the future.”
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