Category Archives: facilities

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...

Full-day kindergarten facilities applications greatly outpace available funds

1 Mar
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construction site
School district interest is overwhelming the funds available for projects through the state’s new full-day kindergarten facilities program. Seventy districts filed 261 project applications totaling $324.3 million in the first filing round ending Jan. 31, staff told State Allocation Board members at their Feb. 27 meeting. The board designated $37.5 million for first-round projects through the Office of Public School Construction program. A larger funding pot of $60 million will be in play for the second filing period of May...

Flushing lead from school pipes remains a work in progress

19 Feb
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As School Nutrition Month kicks off in March, California is making progress on a key issue impacting daily nutrition at school — water.  But there is still room for improvement and a need for more information, a recent report finds. The report, “Early Adopters: State Approaches to Testing School Drinking Water for Lead in the United States,” concluded that 3 percent of California’s K-12 public schools had at least one tap with an elevated level of lead in water and 1...