Category Archives: facilities

Career technical education a growing priority for states, study shows

26 Feb
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State policymakers across the country continue to make career technical education a priority, according to new research from Advance CTE, the Association for Career and Technical Education and the Education Commission of the States. The research found that roughly 60 more policies related to CTE were passed in 2019 than in 2018. In 2019, at least 45 states enacted or passed at least 208 policy actions related to CTE or career readiness through legislation, executive orders, board of education actions...

Polling finds strong support for more funding, school facilities bond

13 Feb
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A majority of California voters continue to say the state should spend more money on schools, new polling shows, reflecting the severity of chronic underfunding that has left California well below the national average in per-student spending. Additionally, a robust 64 percent of voters support the $15 billion school facilities bond measure on the March 3 ballot. The results from 2,000 registered California voters detailed in “Californians and Public Education: Views from the 2020 PACE/USC Rossier Poll” finds that only...

Strong interest in $250M for CTE; State Allocation Board hears other program updates

29 Jan
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construction site
California schools continue to show strong interest in offering career technical education opportunities to students, with 282 local educational agencies applying for a piece of $250 million in dedicated facilities funding. The development was shared at the Jan. 22 meeting of the State Allocation Board, which meets monthly at the State Capitol to apportion funds to school districts, act on appeals, and adopt policies and regulations. The $250 million available through the Career Technical Education Program represents the final piece...

School facilities bond measure gains steam; boards can show support with resolution

23 Jan
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With less than two months until the March 3 primary election, new polling shows that 53 percent of likely voters support a critical state bond measure that would provide $15 billion for facilities at California’s preschools, K-12 schools, community colleges and four-year colleges and universities. The polling from the Public Policy Institute of California also finds that 36 percent of likely voters oppose Proposition 13 and 10 percent are undecided. The survey results represent a noticeable uptick from November 2019,...

CSBA school facilities forum highlights key issues, board member roles

11 Dec
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From master plans to bond financing to community campaigns, CSBA’s forum on school facilities on Dec. 4 in San Diego dove into the complex picture of school board members’ roles in facilities. A trio of panels included experts from bond campaign, finance and legal firms; construction management and architecture companies; and district officials who shared success stories. The importance of getting a facilities program rolling While largely exploring the technical aspects of facilities, panelists told the audience of more than...

State Allocation Board talks full-day kindergarten program, hears several appeals

9 Jul
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construction site
The State Allocation Board meets monthly to apportion funds to school districts, act on appeals, and adopt policies and regulations. At its June 26 meeting, Office of Public School Construction staff provided updates on the Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program and priority funding apportionments, and three appeals were heard. Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program update Lisa Silverman, executive officer of the Office of Public School Construction, reported to the board that the second filing round for Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant...

Together, we can achieve Full and Fair Funding — if we keep the pressure on

26 Jun
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Last month, I had the great pleasure of addressing thousands of education advocates from across California, including board members, teachers, superintendents, parents and classified staff, at the Day of Action Rally for Education on May 22 at the State Capitol. It was an exciting day that began with a personal meeting with Gov. Gavin Newsom and CSBA representatives including myself, President-elect Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, Vice President Tamara Otero, CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy and Assistant Executive Director of Governmental...

Enthusiastic Capitol crowd calls for Full and Fair Funding of California’s public schools

23 May
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From Humboldt County, Monterey, San Diego and beyond, school leaders converged on Sacramento by the busload on May 22 to make their voices heard and to fight for Full and Fair Funding of California’s public schools. About 200 school board members took that fight to the steps of the State Capitol, where they joined thousands including CSBA staff, the California Teachers Association and other education partners in an afternoon Day of Action Rally for Education. Whether teacher, administrator, school employee,...

Digital divide largely closed at California schools, but large gaps remain in homes

25 Mar
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California has closed the digital divide at its K-12 schools, but internet access at home remains a persistent problem, a new report finds. Analysis by the Public Policy Institute of California  shows that 90 percent of the state’s schools met the Federal Communication Commission’s minimum threshold (100 kbps connectivity per student) for digital learning in 2018, and 59 percent of schools met the FCC’s long-term target (1,000 kbps per student). In contrast, as highlighted in the summer 2017 edition of...

Lessons shared as spotlight shines on school disaster preparedness and recovery

12 Mar
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A thorough chain of command, well-prepared emergency plans, and strong relations with both local and state emergency officials are critical for school districts to have in place before a disaster strikes. And when a disaster does strike, it is paramount to document and keep as many records as possible — despite being in a chaotic, fluid and often devastating situation. These lessons learned were shared March 6 by Sonoma County officials who led districts and school communities through the area’s...