Social-emotional trauma and disruptions to their educational experiences due to extreme weather events such as wildfires, floods and drought have hindered the academic achievement of a multitude of K-12 students in California over the last few years. Beyond that, the physical damages to facilities suffered […]
Category: facilities
School facilities funding distribution is inequitable despite significant need
California’s K–12 school facilities require significant new and ongoing investments, but current funding streams are neither consistent nor equitable in ensuring all students have access to safe and effective learning environments, according to a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The report […]
School Facilities Program audit finds underfunding and inequity
To help ensure that the state’s approximately 10,500 schools have safe facilities in which to learn, California provides funding to school districts for facility construction, modernization and alteration through the School Facilities Program. The California State Auditor on Jan. 27 released an audit of the […]
Federal office finds high-need schools require more disaster recovery support
School districts that serve more students of color, economically disadvantaged youth and other vulnerable groups are more likely to have relied on emergency aid to recover from natural disasters like floods, fires and storms, according to new research from the federal Government Accountability Office. Of […]
Turn on the tap! School drinking water access in COVID and beyond
By Wasan Kumar, Anisha Patel, and Christina Hecht Should drinking fountains be turned off because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Public health experts say, “no.” Despite perceived concerns by some, the virus causing COVID-19 has not been found to transmit through drinking water. Moreover, the risk […]
Pros and cons of Project Labor Agreements
By Bode Owoyele, CSBA associate general counsel Project Labor Agreements (PLA) are a type of agreement between a project owner or developer and building trade unions, designed to govern the employer–employee relations of the general contractor and all subcontractors in connection with a particular construction […]
State of U.S. public school facilities is an emergency, report says
The state of American preK-12 public school facilities is a national emergency, according to new report. “2021 State of Our Schools: America’s PK-12 Public School Facilities” was published in September by 21st Century School Fund, the International WELL Building Institute and the National Council on […]
How to use American Rescue Plan funds to improve school ventilation
On July 23, the U.S. Department of Education released a resource guide, “Improving Ventilation in Schools, Colleges, and Universities to Prevent COVID-19.” With local educational agencies across the country preparing for a full return to in-person instruction for the 2021–22 school year, the document details […]
Cal OES on how schools can prepare for earthquakes, disasters
The California Office of Emergency Services has a number of tools available to help local educational agencies and schools keep staff and students safe should an earthquake occur. Earthquake Warning California is the first statewide warning system available in the nation that can give residents […]
Outdoor learning could help safely return students to campuses
Founding members of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative discussed how outside spaces can be used for safe instruction and benefit students as they return to campuses during a two-part webinar series on April 15 and 28 sponsored by the California Department of Education. At […]