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Topic

Facilities

California’s nearly 1000 school districts rely on three primary sources of funding to maintain and upgrade existing facilities and to build new ones: State bonds, developer fees and local General Obligation Bonds. Funding for school facilities has fluctuated over time, and research has found significant disparities among districts’ capacity to construct and keep up facilities that adequately meet students’ needs.
Student Well-Being
March 15, 2023

Winds, rain, flooding close dozens of schools serving more than 100,000 students in California

Schools in 18 counties were shut down on Tuesday; the Central Coast was hit the hardest. A breached levy in Pajaro, next to Watsonville, will put a middle school out of commission for the year.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
January 17, 2023

Reactions to the governor's higher education budget proposals

Leaders representing all segments of California’s education system share their reactions to the governor’s 2023-24 January budget proposal for California's public college and university systems.

EdSource staff
Student Well-Being
January 10, 2023

Powerful winter storms delay return to school for thousands of California students

The return to school Monday from winter break was chaotic or delayed across California as heavy rains and strong winds prompted evacuations and school closures.

Diana Lambert
Facilities
December 22, 2022

California school districts pass $20 billion in construction bonds, but some rural areas say no to higher taxes

Fear of a recession, worries about inflation and “pandemic polarization” produced some very close votes, but in the end, 70% of ballot issues won.

John Fensterwald And Carolyn Jones
Commentary
October 14, 2022

Let's design early education facilities now to meet the challenge of climate change

Children aren't responsible for climate change, but they'll experience the worst of it unless we make sure the places they'll spend growing and learning are prepared to protect them.

Angie Garling, Jeff Vincent, Isabelle Donohoe, and Joe Fretwell
Student Health
January 6, 2022

Kid cooks and tasty lunches: One elementary school's recipe for survival

No frozen pizza on the menu at Pacific Elementary in tiny coastal Davenport. The fifth and sixth grade chefs cook from scratch, luring families to enroll in their school.

John Fensterwald And Andrew Reed
Commentary
January 4, 2022

How state leaders can advance climate-resilient schools now

California needs a master plan to provide safe and inspirational spaces for children to learn that are protected from disruptions caused by climate change.

Jonathan Klein and Lisa Patel
Commentary
September 29, 2021

To ensure safe schools for all, we need statewide cleaning standards

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of keeping school facilities clean and well-maintained.

Max Arias
Commentary
July 29, 2021

Facing wildfires and pandemics, California must invest in ensuring clean air in schools

For schools to adapt to the health threats from our rapidly warming climate, they need improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that filter pollution and infectious particles from the air.

Zoe Lew, Lisa Patel and Erika Veidis
School Finance
January 8, 2021

California schools struggle to pay for ventilation upgrades, key to safely reopen campuses

School districts are facing pressure to improve ventilation at their campuses to reduce the airborne spread of the coronavirus.

Betty Márquez Rosales And Carolyn Jones
Commentary
October 5, 2020

To safely reopen schools, we have to talk about indoor air quality and ventilation

Have we made sure all schools and classrooms have adequate fresh air ventilation to reduce coronavirus transmission? If the answer is no, students and staff will get sick.

Jeff Vincent
School Finance
March 5, 2020

Post-Prop. 13: Why a likely winner may end up California election’s big loser

Several factors — confusion with a more famous 13, tax fatigue, anxiety over the stock market — may have led to the measure’s likely defeat.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
February 27, 2020

Building better schools and colleges: Californians argue for and against Prop. 13 on March 3, 2020 ballot

Proponents and opponents of the $15 billion state bond measure for K-12 and higher education facilities funding, share their views.

Guest authors
School Finance
September 6, 2019

Gov. Newsom, lawmakers still negotiating K-14 construction bond

State officials have called for giving property-poor districts a bigger share of state funding.

John Fensterwald
Legislation
June 24, 2019

Building blocks: California's proposed early education legislation

California is on the brink of making huge investments in young children, and EdSource is tracking 27 early childhood bills introduced in the Legislature this session.

Zaidee Stavely