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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 419 372 EF 005 051 TITLE California's School Facilities Predicament. INSTITUTION EdSource, Inc., Palo Alto, CA. SPONS AGENCY S. H. Cowell Foundation, San Francisco, CA. PUB DATE 1998-04-00 NOTE 18p. AVAILABLE FROM EdSource, 4151 Middlefield Rd., Suite 100, Palo Alto, CA 94303-4743; phone: 650-857-9604. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Educational Demand; *Educational Facilities; *Educational Facilities Planning; Elementary Secondary Education; Facility Improvement; *Financial Needs; Financial Policy; Needs Assessment; *School Expansion IDENTIFIERS *California ABSTRACT This report provides an overview of the difficulties that California faces in determining how much money to invest in school facilities. The text describes the dimensions of the school facility crisis as a whole and looks at the ways in which facilities can affect the quality of education and student performance. It also explores the various options open to both the state and local school districts as they address this challenge. It argues that making a realistic projection about the need is a first step toward a solution. After that, school officials, policymakers, and the public must agree on the minimum quality that they believe is acceptable for school buildings and the optimum quality needed for educational improvements. Decision makers are reminded that schools must meet federal mandates for safety and accessibility. Subsequently, some standards for school facilities are presented. Stakeholders also need to determine the appropriate mix of state and local funding, and one suggestion recommends that the state commit more funds to help schools with maintenance costs. Other possible strategies such as state bonds, local taxes, and developer fees are discussed. (RJM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** California's School Facilities Predicament April 1998 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office Educational Research and Improvement EDU IONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND CENTER (ERIC) DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL This document has been reproduced as HAS BEEN GRANTED BY received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to Ed S C improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) REPORT April 1998 California's School Facilities Predicament alifornians spent over $20 billion on school facilities from 1986 to 1996. As SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN CALIFORNIA Mon a result, some children go to school in COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES beautiful new buildings designed around a new Clarifying vision of education. But the majority of California's Complex public school students are not in such schools. Education Because as large as the investment might sound, Issues it has been flatly inadequate to the tremendous statewide need. In the spring of 1998, That need arises from two sources. One is California's state the growth in California's student population, leaders continue to which today exceeds by over one million the peak debate how to provide years of the "baby boom." The other problem is funding to address the the number of older school buildings in need of repair or renovation. state's school facility needs. Meanwhile, The majority of California's public schools And the Contrasts can be Extreme many California were built during the post-World War II boom In San Francisco, the 550 students at Jean Parker Elementary School go up to the roof of students go to school between 1950 and 1965, and many have been poorly maintained. Typically, these aging build- their new 3-story school for recess. The school in inadequate, sits on six-tenths of an acre in this densely- ings are costing more and more to keep up, no overcrowded, and populated city. longer meet educators' ideas of a good learning 9utmoded buildings In Los Angeles, 2,700 students attend Hoover environment, and usually lack the common- with no end in sight. Street Elementary School where recently-added place amenities found in newer structures, portables took the place of volleyball and bas- including modern wiring and lighting. ketball courts on the school's overcrowded playground. In some places the sit- uation is extreme. Educa- In San Diego County, a teacher at National City INSIDE THIS REPORT Middle School describes crumbling walls and tors struggle to do their visible termite damage in her classroom. jobs and students strug- I I I " : gle to concentrate in over- In Contra Costa County, the main building at El Cerrito High School was built in 1938 and still has California Needs More School Buildings 2crowded, deteriorating the original plumbing and heating systems. The Schools Urgently Need buildings with inade- district puts off some needed repairs because of Maintenance & Modernization 3quate heating, undepend- the cost of asbestos abatement. able plumbing, leaking Facilities' Part in Educational Quality In Clovis, near Fresno, the beautiful new Floyd B. Buchanan High School which cost $32 mil- & School Improvement 5 roofs, and peeling paint. lion and was paid for with state bond funds Both nationally and will house nearly 3,000 students on 47 acres. CONTINUING DEBATES ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS here in California, gov- What Will Adequate School Facilities Cost? 8ernment leaders and edu- cators agree that the prob- Among state leaders, the sometimes para- How Should School Facilities Be Paid For?9lem of school facilities has lyzing debate focuses on the extent of the school facilities need and the best ways to fund it. In Could The Money Be Better Spent? 12reached crisis proportions. Existing school buildings local communities, people tend to focus on the SomeConcluding Thoughts 15 do not adequately house problems closer to home. This report links the today's public school stu- local and state realities. It begins by describing dents and projected enrollment growth over the the dimensions of the school facility crisis in Ed Source thanks the next ten years will make a bad situation even California as a whole. It also looks at the ways S.H.Cowell Foundation in which facilities can affect the quality of edu- for underwriting the worse. Moreover, this circumstance constrains the ability of many schools to improve public cation and ultimately students' performance. research, development, and Finally, it explores the various options open to production of this report. education through such measures as class size reduction and greater use of technology. Yet in both the state and local school districts as they © Copyright 1998 the 1998 legislative session, California leaders address this fundamental problem in Califor- by Ed Source, Inc. nia's public schools. IIstruggled to craft a comprehensive solution. California's School Facilities PredicamentApril 1998 REPORT Mum Trish Williams what felt like dizzying numbers during the baby Ed Source Executive THE MANY DIMENSIONS boomers' school years, from about 1951 to 1975, Director OF THE PROBLEM student populations fell precipitously, particu- 1997-98 EdSource larly in certain communities. In the 1960s and Board of Directors early 1970s, school districts were building new California Needs More schools, adopting year-round calendars, and Sherry Loofbourrow, President going on double sessions. In 1980, they were Former President, School Buildings California School Boards Association closing schools and selling surplus sites, often to Ron Hockwalt, Vice President Educators and political leaders from both par- raise money for facility improvements. But by Superintendent, Walnut Valley USD ties agree that California must have a steady 1988 the state's student population had again William Moore, Secretary supply of new school buildings to meet the cur- reached its 1970 peak of 4.5 million, and in Vice Chairman of the Board, rent and projected need. That need arises both California Casualty Group 1997-98 it is reaching an all-time high of 5.64 from the growth in student population and million students. Gerald C. Hayward, changes in educational programs, particularly Fiscal Officer Many California school districts are strug- Director, Policy Analysis California's class size reduction program. for California Education gling to catch up with the housing needs caused William Chavez by this enrollment growth. In particular, high Chief of Staff, Continuing Growth in Student schools are feeling increasing pressure as the State Senator Richard Po lanco Population Is One Key Factor students who flooded elementary schools in the Deborah Daniels-Smith late 1980s enter the secondary system. This Director, SUCCESS California In October 1997, the California Department of Student Opportunity and Finance (CDF) estimated that the state would increase in the sheer number of students is just Access Program add over 300,000 new students in the five years part of the problem. George Datz Another dilemma is where these students Chairperson, Educational from 1997-98 to 2001-02, bringing the total number Congress of California of K-12 students to nearly six million. live. Much of the growth in student population Gail Dryden That is a far cry from a student population since 1980 has not been in the same areas where Director of Special Projects,