Furthering Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s commitment to improving school facilities and stimulating the economy with infrastructure projects, the California State Allocation Board (SAB) announced today it has directed $727 million in Proposition 1D funds and other bond money to build or modernize 331 schools throughout the state. Included in the allocation are more than $201 million in funds for career technical education (CTE) programs. For the complete list of projects please click here.
“These school projects are a direct investment in a higher quality of education for our students and will also provide jobs at time when Californians need them most,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Without action from the legislature on the state budget, these programs and money will be delayed, which will hold up jobs and greatly inhibit our ability to stimulate the economy.”
“These projects create jobs, stimulate the local economies and provide our students with safer, modernized classrooms,” said State and Consumer Services Secretary Rosario Marin. “Now that we’ve identified these fantastic projects, we need action on our budget crisis so these projects are not needlessly delayed.”
As of July, the SAB has approved the allocation of more than $2 billion in grant money for school construction projects statewide.
The SAB anticipates earmarking another $1.1 billion to meet requests from local school districts this fiscal year that may go unfilled or significantly delayed unless a resolution to the current budget situation is reached.
Of the $727 million, $582 million came from Proposition 1D, the voter-approved bond measure the Governor championed as part of his Strategic Growth Plan in 2006. Proposition 1D earmarked a total of $500 million for CTE programs, and this latest allocation joins the $205 million that was awarded earlier this year.
The CTE grants were awarded across 15 different industry sectors for projects at high schools or other local educational facilities statewide. The largest portion of the CTE funds – more than $77 million – was allocated to arts and media programs, with another sizeable portion – $31.4 million – going toward agriculture and natural resources programs.
Today’s allocation also included money to fund Proposition 1D High Performance Initiative projects, otherwise known as “green” school funding. South Region Elementary #7 in Los Angeles County and Stonegate Elementary in Orange County received $183,056 and $139,700, respectively, to help incorporate energy efficient elements into their building designs as part of today’s allocations. In addition, University High School in Fresno County, a charter school, was also awarded $18 million to build classrooms that will move students from portable facilities to a new permanent home.
In addition, the board awarded more than $105 million and $19 million, respectively, from Propositions 47 and 55 — both approved by voters in 2002 and 2004— to fund construction projects at various schools, as well as $18 million from the state general fund to make emergency campus repairs.
In 2006, California voters approved the governor’s $42 billion Strategic Growth Plan to help rehabilitate California’s infrastructure. Since then, the governor has facilitated and expedited the allocation of billions of dollars from the 2006 infrastructure bonds to launch key projects, create jobs and stimulate California’s economy. Specifically, he has announced:
- $624.6 million in Proposition 1C and Proposition 46 in housing bond funding.
- Approximately $136 million in Proposition 1B funds for 99 transit projects statewide.
- The allocation of $2 billion since 2007 in Proposition 1D funds for new construction and modernization projects for schools statewide, including construction and modernization of 29 charter schools.
- $382 million in Proposition 1B funds for transportation projects across the state.
- The approval of $3.5 billion in Proposition 1B bond funds for transportation and goods movement projects across the state.
- $394 million in Proposition 1B bond funding for 106 transit projects statewide.
- $40 million for port security from Proposition 1B funds.
- $73 million for affordable housing projects in Proposition 1C and Proposition 46 funds to help more than 1,600 California families rent or purchase affordable housing.
- $211 million for expedited implementation in Proposition 1E funds to four critical levee improvement projects in Northern California.
- $69.5 million in permanent low-interest loans from the Proposition 1C housing bonds to jump-start 14 affordable multifamily projects up and down the state, helping more than 1,000 California families and individuals realize the dream of an affordable rental home.
- In January, the governor called an emergency meeting of his cabinet and instructed them to recommend ways to work with the legislature and expedite the release of $29 billion in unallocated funds from the 2006 infrastructure bonds for the construction of roads, schools and levee repairs.
- from the Governor's Office, December 10, 2008
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