April 17, 2015
Minutes
The minutes from the February 24, 2015 meeting were approved unanimously.
Executive Officer Statement
Lisa Silverman provided updates on the following:
– Priority Funding Apportionments – This agenda includes $113.6 million in priority funding apportionments for 41 projects representing 22 school districts. These projects are required to submit a valid Fund Release Authorization (Form SAB 50-05) by Tuesday, July 14, 2015.
February 19, 2015
On Wednesday, February 18th the Senate Education and Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 on Education held a joint informational hearing on school facilities.
The hearing began with Bruce Hancock, former Assistant Executive Officer of the State Allocation Board, and Bill Savidge, the current Assistant Executive Officer of the State Allocation Board, providing a history of the School Facility Program (SFP) and discussion of current needs to establish a context for discussion.
February 13, 2015
On February 11th the Assembly Education Committee, led by incoming chair Patrick O’Donnell (D-Long Beach), convened an informational hearing on school facilities to hear input from stakeholders on the Governor’s school facilities proposal that is included in his proposed 2015-16 State Budget, and to begin the discussion about the future of school facilities in California.
In his opening comments, Chair O’Donnell referred to himself as a “local expert on state school facilities” as a result of his familiarity and experience with school facility issues as a high school teacher. Chair O’Donnell also stated that the School Facility Program (SFP) has been a very successful public/private partnership, and that he favors a continued state role in funding school facilities.
January 15, 2015
Jim Murdoch, one of the original founders of C.A.S.H., was fond of quoting the late Senator Leroy F. Greene: “Buildings can’t speak for themselves…so we must speak for them.” The Coalition for Adequate School Housing was formed in 1978 in the wake of Proposition 13 to advocate and provide a voice for adequate school facilities for all of California’s public school students. C.A.S.H. has been a strong advocate for school facility funding, and has supported every statewide school facility bond initiative since 1982. C.A.S.H.’s school district membership represents 93% of California’s students, as well as a diverse private sector membership, and has been the “voice” for school facilities in California for the past 37 years.