The September 2022 heatwave in California was the worst on record, with temperatures hitting up to 116 degrees in Sacramento, and multiple other cities experiencing temperatures of 110 degrees and above. This excessive heat has schools on high alert, with many installing and upgrading HVAC […]
Category: facilities
New report calls for path to climate-resilient and sustainable schools
Recognizing demands from students and the urgent action needed to combat climate change, a statewide coalition of nearly 50 stakeholders — including doctors, medical and environmental health researchers, educators, youth and community groups, and other experts — convened in 2021 to examine the challenges of […]
New requirements promote access to drinking water in California schools
California will now require all newly constructed K-12 public schools, as well as any undergoing modernization, to provide water bottle filling stations. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2638 (Bloom, D-Santa Monica) into law on Sept. 29, 2022, after it received unanimous approval in its […]
K-12 infrastructure needs require ongoing funding
Dedicated, long-term federal investments in K-12 infrastructure are critical to ensuring students are educated in safe, comfortable classrooms where they can focus on learning, according to a report by the Center for American Progress (CAP). Improving air quality and modernizing and maximizing natural light in […]
Districts can now begin efforts to build education workforce housing with less red tape
Survey after survey, study after study, lack of affordable housing close to the campuses in which they work continues to be one of the most cited reasons for why teachers and other school employees leave their positions or the education field entirely. This presents a […]
CSBA webinar gives local context to COVID relief spending report
CSBA hosted a webinar on July 12 to discuss its new report, Unprecedented Times, Unprecedented Responses: An Analysis of Federal COVID-19 Relief Fund Spending in California Public Schools. District leaders detailed their experiences during the event and CSBA staff shared how board members can effectively […]
CSBA Climate Change Task Force releases report on addressing climate change
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 […]
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 […]