PARADISE, CA (MPG) – On March 5, Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-East Nicolaus) and Senator Megan Dahle (R-Bieber) announced legislative action to help the Paradise Unified School District (PUSD) recover from the devastating Camp Fire in 2018, which destroyed nearly 14,000 homes, about 85% of the community.

Most significantly, Gallagher and Dahle requested $21.5 million to rebuild Paradise Elementary School, which was destroyed in the fire, either through the state budget process or a stand-alone bill, AB 842.

“Remarkable progress has been made in Paradise and everyone involved should be commended. But the job is not done,” said Gallagher. “Rebuilding this elementary school is a key part of the community’s recovery and we are committed to making it happen.”

With partial funding already secured, reconstruction of the school is scheduled to begin this spring with the goal of finishing the first phase of the project by August 2026. The $21.5 million requested by Gallagher and Dahle is needed to complete construction and keep up with growing enrollment.

“The rebuilding of Paradise Elementary is a critical step in the continued recovery of Paradise and its surrounding communities,” said Dahle. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the State of California is doing everything possible to help Paradise thrive.”

Tom Taylor, Superintendent of Paradise Unified School District, also expressed the need for assistance, “We are excited to see the growth beyond expectation, however this has resulted in the need for us to rebuild Paradise Elementary more quickly than expected. State funding is a critical component to recovery for families in Paradise.” 

Additionally, the Paradise Unified School District recently sought assistance from Gallagher and Dahle to avoid being penalized by the state for being unable to meet school staffing requirements. Gallagher and Dahle have responded by submitting a formal budget request and by authoring legislation, Assembly Bill 1438, to extend the Paradise Unified School District’s staffing ratio wavier by at least 7 years. Without this waiver extension, the Paradise Unified School District may face more than $150,000 in state penalties annually.

“High levels of trauma and enrollment growth are requiring us to add administrators as we are adding students and classes. This was never a challenge before the pre-fire,” added Taylor. “AB 1438 will help ensure that Paradise Unified is not wrongfully penalized for trying to manage a very complex and fluid recovery process.”