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EdBrief Home | Archives | Facilities & Planning |
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Only One-Third of K-8 Students Can Easily Walk To School Study Finds Older, Community-Centered Schools Are Good for Environment, Children's Health As older community-centered schools across the nation continue to be threatened with closure, and new schools are constructed ever farther from the people they serve, a new report issued by the National Trust for Historic Preservation examines these trends, and asks: what policies are needed to encourage the preservation and development of community-centered schools? The answers to that question, offered by an array of experts in a wide range of fields, provide the basis for the National Trust’s report... 
OPSC Moves to New Location SAB Hears Good News Regarding New Funding for School Construction Projects The State Allocation Board (SAB) held its regular monthly meeting on March 24 in the Board Room of the CDE Building in Sacramento. Here’s a rundown on the various items discussed and actions taken. Lisa Silverman, Executive Officer of the SAB, announced that, of the $2.5 billion in State bonds sold in the previous week, $376 million would go to school facilities. This allocation was not anticipated. Information from the Department of Finance (DOF) prior to this week had indicated that none of the proceeds from that bond sale would go to schools... State to Launch $4 Billion Bond Sale California plans to offer some $4 billion in general obligation bonds during March – despite the ongoing budget problems that have tied up state government in Sacramento during the past year. For the past few months, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer has been held back on bond offerings while California struggled to close a $20-billion budget gap. In response to California’s ongoing red ink saga, the credit ratings firm Standard & Poor’s cut the state’s credit grade by one more notch during January, to A-minus from A... Districts Should Consider Their Options State Allocation Board Cuts Per-Pupil Grants, Which May Affect Developer Fees for Schools In January of every year, the State Allocation Board (SAB) adjusts School Facility Program per pupil grants. In January of even-numbered years, the SAB also adjusts the maximum Level 1 developer fees that a school district may levy on new projects. The adjustments usually result in increases in the developer fees. But this year is different, and the impact on developer fees could be significant... SAB & Implementation Committee Update: OPSC Head Rob Cook Steps Down, Other Topics Mulled by SAB Implementation Committee Rob Cook has stepped down as the executive director of the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC). That announcement, as well as several other items, came out of last Thursday’s meeting of the State Allocation Board Implementation Committee. The chair of the Implementation Committee, Lisa Kaplan, announced that Cook is moving on... State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Calls for New School Bond at School Facilities Hearing State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell testified Tuesday at a hearing held by the Senate Select Committee on School Facilities. At the hearing he cited the need for a new school bond to meet the needs of California students in the 21st century. “We speak often about preparing our children for the future, but achieving this goal will only increase in difficulty if our kids continue to learn in schools of the past,” O’Connell said... SB 334, Progress for Special Education Facilities Funding Recently the Governor signed into law SB 334, which calls for increased funding to school districts for special education facilities. This legislation is a major milestone toward providing quality educational facilities for students with exceptional needs. Prior to 1998, school facilities were funded on a square foot per student basis. Special education facilities were listed in the Education Code as severe or non-severe, and further broken down into classifications corresponding to the provisions of Ed Code section 56026... Governor Signs Legislation Authorizing Charter Schools to Hold Title to Facilities Charter school advocates are celebrating two bills signed earlier this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. As part of his flurry of bill signings on Oct. 11, the Governor signed SB 592, which will let between 30 to 35 charter schools “hold title,” potentially allowing them to own and control roughly $500 million in charter school facilities. SB 592, authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D – East Los Angeles), and jointly sponsored by the California Charter Schools Association and the Schwarzenegger administration, will allow a charter school to hold title, or ownership, over its own facilities... New Bond Sale Could Fund School Projects Earlier we reported that the State of California had ceased the sale of bonds for capital improvement projects. On December 17, 2008, the Pooled Money Investments Board (PMIB) stopped selling bonds, indicating that California’s bond rating was so low that the State would need to pay more in interest on these bonds than they were statutorily allowed to pay. In March, 2009, the market had improved sufficiently for the PMIB to offer bonds for sale. The response was good, with there being more demand than bonds to be sold. In April, another offering had the same result... QSCB Lottery Spreads $700 million in Bond Authorizations Over 43 School Districts As reported last week, the California Department of Education (CDE) held a lottery last Friday to determine the recipients of the Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) authorizations. Seven hundred million dollars in interest free bonding authorization was available to districts through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The maximum amount available for an applicant district was $25 million. Twenty-two of the 43 districts that received the authorizations were awarded the maximum amount... After Receiving Applications Amounting to $3.7 Billion for $700 Million in Funds Actually Available, QSCB Goes to Lottery Over $3.7 billion in applications were submitted to California Department of Education (CDE) on Tuesday for the $700 Million available in the Qualified School Construction Bond program. A provision of the federal stimulus package (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA) provides for the sale of interest free bonds for school construction, modernization or repair projects that are construction ready. This program is called the Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) program... New State Budget Lets Districts Use Proceeds from Surplus Property for "One-Time" Purposes The recently approved state budget has opened up a short-term chink in what historically has been a “firewall” separating facilities funds from money used for salaries in California school districts. From now through January 1, 2012, school districts have the option of using proceeds from the sale of surplus real estate for any one-time general fund purpose – provided that the surplus property being sold was purchased entirely with local funds. (Property that was purchased in part with state funds does not qualify.)... Qualified School Construction Bonds Still Available – August 25 Deadline Nears There is a new school facility bond program available to Local Education Agencies (LEAs). The Qualified School Construction Bond Program (QSCB) is now available for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to apply for zero-interest facility bonds. This bond is a tax credit program, which is a component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). QSCB is a zero-interest bond that will provide federal tax credits to investors... Declining Property Values Are Diminishing Voter-Approved Facilities Funding for Schools On July 14, the Senate Select Committee on Educational Facilities met at the State Capitol. There was testimony from public and private sector school facilities practitioners. There were no surprises on what was said about the status of funding or the adequacy of the funding. The real news came from Guy Mehula, Chief Executive of the Facilities Services Division for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). He announced that the LAUSD may need to suspend their building program for a period of five years... State Allocation Board's Implementation Committee Limits Some Funding Rules On Thursday, the State Allocation Board’s Implementation Committee met to discuss two major issues in the School Facilities Program (SFP) regulations: 1) The 60% commensurate rule in conjunction with the 150% rule, and 2) The accessibility and fire code allowances. When submitting an application for funding under the SFP, a district must certify that the cost estimate for the construction of the project is at least 60% of the total grant amount, including both State and local share... Slight Increase Predicted for Elementary Grades, But Secondary Will See Declines After declining for most of this decade, statewide student enrollment looks like it will pick up over the next decade. Since 2006, over 54% of school districts and county offices have been experiencing multi-year declining enrollment conditions. But while average statewide enrollment is projected to now go up, that growth will be focused on specific regions. It will also be highly dependent on when and how the state comes out of recession. Why should education leaders care about demographic trends? Well, in simple terms, kids come with money, and money comes with kids... O'Connell Reminds Districts of August 25 Deadline to Apply for Federal Stimulus Funds for Construction State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell last week encouraged school districts and charter schools to apply for more than $773 million in the Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) program. The new QSCB tax credit program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. “QSCB will provide tax credits to school districts and charter schools for bond issuance that has the potential to jump start new construction and modernization projects throughout the state,” said O'Connell... California's Funding Formulas Produce Different Rates of State Support for School Districts California's complex system of public education funding has roots that go back for decades, with landmark court decisions and California's voters establishing critical rules. In the early 1970s, the court decision in the Serrano vs. Priest case mandated that California funding for school districts move toward equity, with a target of less than $100 per average daily attendance (ADA). The creation of revenue limit formulas, and the principle that school districts below the average would receive more funding, resulted in significant progress toward equalization... State Architect Moves Some Projects – Not Involving State Funds – Into the "Fast Lane" Emphasizing a commitment to moving school construction forward, the Division of the State Architect (DSA), which provides design and construction oversight for K–12 schools and community colleges, announced last week that it will give top priority to reviewing school design plans that do not require state funding. "The availability of federal economic stimulus funds coupled with local school bond approvals creates an opportunity to advance 'shovel-ready' school construction projects," said State Architect David Thorman... State Treasurer Sells $6.54 Billion in Bonds Much to the surprise and delight of California school districts, the State Treasurer sold $6.54 billion in tax exempt capital improvement bonds earlier this week – which could, perhaps, open the way for funding of school construction projects. At the Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB) meeting on March 18, a Treasurer’s office representative indicated that $4 billion would be sold. However, the demand for the bonds proved to be higher than expected... Treasurer to Sell $4 Billion in Bonds The Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB) met on Wednesday, (March 18) to discuss the disbursement of state bond funds. One of the responsibilities of the PMIB is to sell bonds for the funding of capital projects including those authorized by Proposition 1D to fund school facilities projects under the School Facilities Program (SFP). No bonds have been sold since last June and, on December 17, the Board ceased disbursements from the fund.... Facility Maintenance Flexibility: A Blessing or a Curse? One of the many flexibility items contained in the new state Budget Act is flexibility related to Facility Maintenance Programs. In ordinary years, districts are annually required to set aside 3% of General Fund expenditures into an Ongoing and Major Maintenance Account (OMMA) account, also known as the Restricted Maintenance Account (RMA) in SACS resource code 8150. These funds are to be used for costs, including personnel and materials, associated with the maintenance of district facilities... State Allocation Board Update – Board Ponders Impact of Budget Crisis on School Construction Critically Overcrowded Schools The State Allocation Board members met in a special session on March 11 to review items left over from their February 25 meeting. Among the issues discussed was the transfer of funds from the Critically Overcrowded Schools (COS) program to the School Facilities Program (SFP). The COS program was funded with Proposition 47 bonds. Some $840.7 million remains in the fund from projects that could not meet the required timelines... SAB's Implementation Committee Discusses Delayed Funds for Approved School Projects The State Allocation Board’s Implementation Committee met on March 12 in Sacramento. The primary issue discussed was the development of recommendations to the SAB for establishing a priority system for fund releases when bond funds become available. On December 17, 2008, the Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB) ceased the sale of bonds and the disbursement of money from authorized State bonds. At that time 849 projects had been approved for apportionment in the School Facilities Program (SFP)... Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) Implementation Committee Meets – Discusses Funding Priority Prior to December 17, 2008 few people had heard of the Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB). The PMIB is made up of the State Treasurer, the State Controller and the Director of Finance and controls the disbursements from the Pooled Money Investment Fund. The PMIF is like the State’s checkbook; deposits are made from the sale of bonds and held until needed by the State programs. One of the programs effected by this is the School Facilities Program (SFP), used to build and modernize school facilities across the state... High School Student Attrition How many California high school students drop out before they graduate? Calculating that figure is not an easy task. The California Department of Education recently stated that the state’s high school dropout rate is 23 percent. This is a percentage that has long been confirmed by U.S. Census data, as the 1990 census revealed that 23.8 percent of the “age 25 and over” population had no high school diploma or equivalency. In the 2000 census, the percentage changed very little – from 23.8 to 23.2 percent... No Major Shifts In Migration Patterns, Student Retention The term “cohort survival” isn’t used often in common conversation, or on the airwaves. But within the educational community, many administrators are familiar with the term. Cohort survival tracks the movement of students through the grades from one year to the next. This paper presents K-8 cohort data for the State of California as a whole, and what those data mean for California and future enrollment in the state. The public school cohort factor presents, as a single number, the combined effect of migration patters, residential growth, the economy, student retention... Births and Fertility Rates Forecast Change for Many California School Districts California’s birth rate is once more on the rise, and the differing fertility rates among the state’s ethnic groups will play a role in the changing composition of school district enrollment in years ahead, as the number of Hispanic students continues to grow. The California birth trend is a major factor driving school enrollment trends, as most children attend kindergarten five years after their birth. Influencing the birth trend is the female population by age and the fertility rate... Charter Schools Pull From Both Public and Private Schools Most of California’s school-age children are “officially” counted in public, charter and private schools. But what about those children who slip through the cracks — the home-schoolers and dropouts? And what are the trends? Based on California Department of Education records and outside estimates, in 2006-07, the State of California had K-12 students in the following categories... Declining Enrollment – The End is Coming! In recent years, many California public school districts have experienced enrollment declines, resulting in the need to make budget, staffing and facilities adjustments. The statewide decline began in grades K-5 after enrollments peaked in the year 2000, extended to grades 6-8 after a 2003 peak, and then into grades 9-12 after a 2007 peak. Evidence now suggests that the California public school enrollment decline will end in the year 2010, when K-12 enrollment will reach a low of 6.2 million – only 100,000 students below its peak of 6.3 million in the year 2004... State Allocation Board Halts School Facilities Funding At special meeting on Wednesday (Jan. 14), the State Allocation Board (SAB) approved emergency regulations which bring a halt to funding in the School Facilities Program (SFP). The regulations will make project funding subject to the availability of funding by the Pooled Money Investment Board. The PMIB controls the account that is used by all State agencies for cash flow until more permanent funding can be secured. The fund is used for temporarily funding SFP projects until bonds authorized by Proposition 1D can be sold... California's Grid Neutral Program Falls Short At the California Green Schools Conference in Anaheim in December, the State Architect unveiled the new Grid Neutral Program for California public schools and community colleges. With this program the State hopes to persuade school districts building new facilities to produce as much power on a school site as they use in any one year. Grid neutrality can certainly be an important part of sustainability, but at this point far too much emphasis is being placed on this one element at the expense of the overall goal... State Funding Cessation Puts School District Construction Money in Doubt In a press release on December 17, California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer warned that because of the unresolved state budget crisis, the Pooled Money Investment Account (PMIA) would cease funding infrastructure projects, including school facilities projects. The PMIA is used for short term loans to both bond funded projects and to State General Fund accounts to meet day to day cash flow needs... Green California Schools Summit and Exposition Showcases Innovative Options Earlier this week the State of California sponsored the Green California Schools Summit and Exposition at the Anaheim Convention Center. The conference was attended by school district representatives, state agency representatives, green equipment suppliers and consultants. Keynote speakers included State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, L. Hunter Lovins, a lifelong sustainability advocate and Terry Tamminen, former Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger on energy and environmental policy... It's Not Easy Being Green The headline above – reflecting a now famous quote from Kermit the Frog – might characterize the somewhat reluctant attitude on the part of many school districts regarding the sustainability movement. While there is some truth behind this commonly-expressed sentiment, the reality is that being green is becoming easier. In fact, many communities are supporting their school districts’ efforts to reduce energy costs, add daylighting, and use low-emitting materials. For many architects, sustainability is no longer a leading-edge trend, but an essential part of the design process... It's Not Easy Being Green The headline above – reflecting a now famous quote from Kermit the Frog – might characterize the somewhat reluctant attitude on the part of many school districts regarding the sustainability movement. While there is some truth behind this commonly-expressed sentiment, the reality is that being green is becoming easier. In fact many communities are supporting their school districts’ efforts to reduce energy costs, add daylighting, and use low-emitting materials. For many architects, sustainability is no longer a leading-edge trend, but an essential part of the design process... Many School Bonds Approved by Voters – Now Districts Must Prepare Audits, Form Panels Voters around California looked beyond their worries about difficult economic times on Election Day, and approved 77 out of 86 school district ballot measures involving general obligation bonds, which required a 55 percent majority for passage. Voters also approved nine out of ten school facility improvement measures... Many Districts Lag in Compliance with Field Act, Increasing Liability Risk on Facilities Many school district administrators and board members hear the term "non-conforming facilities" and think little of it. In fact, occupying non-conforming facilities is a serious issue. The term refers to facilities that do not comply with the provisions of the Field Act, or, more specifically, Title 24, the California Building Code (CBC). Facilities may be designed and constructed based on the provisions of the CBC, however, if all the required procedures are not followed and the project is not properly closed out with the Division of the State Architect (DSA)... School Design – Always Evolving, Especially Now What should a new school look like? The ideal has changed, as the world has changed. One hundred years ago, a typical American school – or, in the parlance of that era, a "grammar school" – was typically a small structure with just a few classrooms, serving a specific neighborhood (if you lived in town) or a rural hamlet. Most students walked from home to school... Unlocking the Myth of Educational Specifications As all of us in public education know, even commonly used and easily understood phrases and buzz words can have different meanings and interpretations. A specific item or term may be viewed differently by different individuals based on their own personal exposure and experiences. One of those terms happens to be “educational specifications.”... State Allocation Board Acts on Three Issues California’s State Allocation Board (SAB) held their regularly scheduled monthly meeting on September 24, and discussed several significant items. Macias Grant Adequacy Study Background: In 2007 the Macias Group was commissioned to report on the adequacy of the grants in the School Facilities Program (SFP). That report was originally presented to the SAB in September, 2007... State Tightening Regulations for School Facility Funding Financial Hardship Program Over the past nine months, there have been significant changes proposed to the School Facility Program’s Financial Hardship (FH) program. In September, 2007, the Macias Group, a private consultant hired by the state’s Department of Finance to review the FH program, reported to the State Allocation Board (SAB) that there was wide spread abuse and misrepresentation of district’s financial status in the application process... What to Know and Do About Developer Fees School districts have always experienced difficulties in raising local revenues to provide housing for its students, whether funded entirely with local monies or using a combination of local and state monies. Before the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, which eliminated all local bond and lease-purchase election options, school districts often sought help... Bond Performance Audit: A Good Idea, Not Just The Law! A Proposition 39 bond, requiring voter approval of at least 55 percent to pass, carries with it the requirement for an annual performance audit. While the scope of such an audit is not defined in law or regulation, its intended purpose is to ensure:
Good Facilities Master Planning Leads To Good Program Management Two essential elements of facilities planning are a long-range Facilities Master Plan (FMP) and Program Management (PM). These two elements are similar to design and construction; a master plan is a thorough documentation of facilities issues and potential solutions, while program management is the well-executed implementation of those plans... |
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