Franklin Elementary set to expand

Audrey Stephansen / The Samohi

Exterior view of Franklin Elementery school. Renovations are set to start at the end of the school year.

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) have decided to expand their campus and have recently purchased 814 25th Street for $2.8 million using funds from the Capital Outlay Project Budget. 

By 2030, Franklin’s population is projected to have grown by over 100 students, rising from its current enrollment of 630. A focus of the expansion is to make sure the district is following the recommended size for the elementary school campus with the number of students they have. The current plan is to add a new playing field, a staff parking lot, and more structures, but they are still brainstorming which additions would be the most beneficial to the students. 

In addition, SMMUSD is also doing construction at Lincoln Middle School and Roosevelt Elementary School in an effort to modernize its campuses. 

Construction will begin in June 2026 and is set to be completed by 2028. Many students at Samo attended Franklin Elementary, or grew up near it, so people have various opinions. 

Former Franklin Elementary student Iwa Hashim (’29) talks about her feelings about the modifications.

“I think it's cool, I think it's good to change the school because it’s pretty old, so an upgrade would definitely be nice,” Hashim said.“I’m definitely going to miss it because of nostalgia, but there will be new memories and I’ll always remember what it used to be like.”

Bryce Shatzow (’27) attended Franklin Elementary School and tells us what he thinks.

“It’s really nostalgic for me going there having all the memories of being there with my friends, and I still go there to this day to play lacrosse or hang out so the fact that they're changing it is definitely impactful for me,” Shatzow said.

When the changes of the campus layout begin as early as the end of this school year, transitional kindergarten classrooms and a transitional parking lot will be placed while they move on with the construction of Franklin Elementary School.