December 6, 2016
The Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) is pleased to announce that Assembly Member Patrick O’Donnell has been appointed to the State Allocation Board. OPSC welcomes the Assembly Member to the State Allocation Board and looks forward to working with him on school facilities issues.
~ CASH Staff
December 5, 2016
The State Allocation Board (SAB) met today and approved the consent only agenda. The consent agenda included Facility Hardship projects and close out items.
There was no discussion of the passage of Proposition 51. We expect some discussion of Proposition 51 implementation at the January SAB meeting.
CASH will be discussing implementation issues at the Proposition 51 Post-Election Debriefing workshop which will be held at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento on December 12, 2016.
To register for the workshop, please use the following link: https://www.cashnet.org/meetings/2016_Workshops/SpecialDecember2016Workshop.htm.
~ CASH Staff
The following article gives strong reasons why schools should be part of any comprehensive infrastructure program.
http://www.constructiondive.com/news/why-the-definition-of-infrastructure-should-include-public-buildings/431443/
~ CASH Staff
November 18, 2016
The Division of the State Architect (DSA) is increasing the hourly fee for plan review services for K–12 public school districts, community college districts, and state agencies. Starting January 1, 2023, the fee will increase from $170 to $215 per hour.
This is the first increase to the fee since May 1, 2013. Going forward, the fee will be adjusted annually using the first January issue of Engineering News-Record’s U.S. 20 City Construction Cost Index. The fee amount shall be set to cover the costs incurred by DSA in carrying out its responsibilities on the date of services rendered.
IR A-30: DSA Hourly Fee Services (PDF – 180 KB) now reflects the new hourly fee structure and clarifies when the hourly fees apply. DSA updated the examples within the document to reflect the calculation of fees under various scenarios involving the application fee, actual construction cost, and changes during construction.
Please direct any questions to Jim Hackett, Principal Structural Engineer, Code, and Standards Unit, at .
November 10, 2016
This past Tuesday, November 8, voters and local communities continued to demonstrate their support for school facilities.
Please click here for CASH’s preliminary list of local school bonds and parcel tax measures on the November 8 ballot.
~ CASH Staff
November 7, 2016
The Legislature completed the 2015-16 Legislative Session on August 31 and adjourned for final recess at that time. The Governor had until September 30 to sign or veto bills passed in the last weeks of the Session. The legislature returns briefly on December 5 to convene the new 2017-18 Legislative Session, then will immediately adjourn for recess until January, at which time they will begin to introduce new bill proposals for consideration.
The CASH legislative advocacy team had a successful year, highlighted by CASH’s engagement in and support of two significant bills. AB 2316 (O’Donnell) creates a competitive selection process for Lease-Leaseback based on the best value methodology. SB 693 (Hueso) addresses implementation challenges for various skilled workforce bills, including AB 566 (2015). The CASH legislative team monitored and took positions on many bills, including some involving school siting, seismic safety, local debt policy, storm water, energy and other critical issues for the school facilities community.
~ CASH Staff
November 2, 2016
On Friday, October 28, the Third Court of Appeals denied California Building Industry Association’s (CBIA) appeal against the State Allocation Board’s action on May 25, 2016.
On Tuesday, November 1, 2016, the State Allocation Board issued a letter pertaining to its action on May 25, 2016 determining that state funds are no longer available for school facility construction. This determination is required in order for school districts to charge Level III developer fees. Per the requirements of Government Code Section 65995.7(a), the letter was sent to the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and it indicates that funds are no longer available effective May 25, 2016.
For more information, see the Board’s letters and the May 25 agenda item here:
https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/opsc/SAB_Agenda_Items/2016-05/Senate_Assembly_Notification_Letters.pdf
~ CASH Staff
October 28, 2016
The School Facilities Leadership Academy is a rigorous one-year leadership program designed to advance current and future leaders in the school facilities and maintenance arenas through engaging curriculum, individual and group learning, and leadership development.
Since the Academy was founded in 2006, more than 150 school facilities professionals have successfully completed the program. Many are now serving in leadership positions within CASH and have advanced in their careers. If you are a graduate of the School Facilities Leadership Academy, please stand.
Thank you. The next Academy cohort will begin next March. Applications are now available here. The deadline to apply is December 16, 2016. We are looking forward to the continued success of the program and its graduates.
~ CASH Staff
October 27, 2016
Thank you for your continued support of Prop 51 and safe schools for our students. With your help, the Proposition 51 campaign has gained broad and diverse support throughout the state of California.
In addition to our TV spots featuring a teacher and a school nurse, our “Sí a la Prop 51” video with former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been running on Univision.com to engage our Spanish speaking audience.
You can watch and share Mayor Villaraigosa’s Spanish-language video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/DX0pis6T360
From now until Election Day the videos will be running on Univision.com. Take a look at today’s ads on the Los Angeles homepage!
http://www.univision.com/los-angeles/kmex
Let’s continue to urge our contacts to vote Yes on 51 to repair and upgrade older schools, keeping the promise of a quality education in California. Please continue to show your support by sharing a link to Mayor Villaraigosa’s video and using our hashtag, #YesOn51.
ICYMI: Yes on Proposition 51
By Teresa Casazza | October 20, 2016
“In November, California taxpayers will have a number of initiatives to consider, including one – Proposition 51 – that will make an important investment in California’s aging school facilities.
California’s schools are showing their age. Approximately 30 percent are more than 50 years old, and many need major renovations to meet basic health and safety standards. Also, many counties are growing, and need new schools that are well-equipped to prepare students to enter the workforce or the higher education system.
Proposition 51, a state school facilities bond, will help school districts fix and repair outdated schools and build new schools where needed. The measure will replenish the School Facility Program Fund so that districts can access matching state funds and protect local taxpayers from higher taxes…
If Proposition 51 isn’t approved, how will school districts meet their needs? Through local tax increases on property owners – taxes that hurt communities, harm small businesses and increase housing costs for working families, renters, and homeowners…