The State Allocation Board (SAB) announced today that it has awarded $1 billion for school construction projects throughout the state. These awards are a result of the voters’ approval of Proposition 51 in November 2016 which provided an additional $7 billion to the School Facility Program (SFP) as well as state General Fund proceeds. $802.6 million was allocated to SFP new construction and modernization projects, $142.8 million to new construction and rehabilitation projects under the Charter School Facilities Program (CSFP), and $59.4 million for new construction and retrofit projects for the California Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten and Full-Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program (FDK).
“With over $4.9 billion provided to, or intended for distribution by, the State Allocation Board in the 2022/2023 state budget, the Office of Public School Construction has done a phenomenal job processing funding applications for the construction of facilities throughout the state,” said Department of Finance’s Chief Deputy Director of Policy, Gayle Miller. “The administration is excited to see the facilities that will be constructed with these awards.”
Under the SFP New Construction and Modernization programs, the SAB awarded $802.6 million for 265 projects within 111 school districts statewide. The state matching funds for SFP projects are distributed to school districts to help finance shovel-ready school construction projects or reimburse districts for projects already completed using local funds. State funding for SFP projects is provided by bonds authorized under Propositions 1A, 1D, 47, 55 and 51, as well as the General Fund. The Office of Public School Construction will distribute the bond funds to eligible school districts within 90 days so local school construction projects can move forward as quickly as possible.
Under the CSFP, funding is provided to qualified applicants for the construction of new charter school facilities or the rehabilitation of existing district-owned facilities that are at least 15 years old for charter school use. The CSFP allows charter schools that provide site-based instruction to access state facility funding directly or through the school district where the project will be physically located and that serves the same grade level that will be housed by the charter project. To qualify for funding, California School Finance Authority must grant a financial soundness determination. The SAB awarded approximately $142.8 million for 13 projects within nine applicants statewide.
Under the FDK, the SAB awarded $59.4 million for 18 projects within 18 school districts statewide. The FDK provides funding to school districts to construct new school facilities or retrofit existing school facilities for the purpose of providing California preschool, transitional kindergarten and full-day kindergarten programs. School district may apply for advance funding to cover the design costs of the facilities and have up to one year to commence construction of the project.
The State Allocation Board is responsible for determining the allocation of voter-approved school construction bonds and state funding for the School Facility Program as well as state funding for the California Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten and Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program. The SAB is the policy-level body for programs administered by the Office of Public School Construction, which resides under the state of California’s Department of General Services. The Office of Public School Construction provides the staff and support for state financing of school facilities.
DGS NewsWire 