Th e State and local contribution to a joint-use project remains 50/50. However, the Joint-Use Partner contribution has been reduced to a minimum of 25 percent of the eligible joint-use project costs with the remaining local contribution coming from any other district source that would not otherwise be avail- able to the SAB. Th e district need not have the entire 25 percent joint-use partner contribution on deposit at the time that the project approval is made. However, when the project fund release is requested, the district must certify that the joint-use partner’s matching share has been deposited in the County School Facility Fund; has been expended by the district for the project; or will be expended by the district prior to the Notice of Completion for the project. Th e district representative should be aware that regardless of when the share is contributed to the project, at closeout the district must be able to show that 25 percent of the expenditures on the project were from funds provided by the joint-use partner, unless the district has passed a local bond which specifi es that the monies are to be used specifi cally for the joint-use project, then the district can opt to pay up to the full 50 percent local share of eligible costs. Th e State share will always be a maximum of 50 percent of the eligible project costs. If the district is unable to demonstrate the expenditure requirement, the apportionment will be reduced. Financial Hardship assistance towards the matching share for Financial Hardship districts will not be provided by the State.
If there are project costs beyond the eligible project costs, those costs can be paid by the district, joint-use partner, or any other local source.
Fund Release
After the funding application is approved and apportioned by the SAB, the next step in the process is the fund release to the County School Facilities Fund for use by the district.
Th e joint-use grant is processed for release when the district submits a Fund Release Authorization (Form SAB 50-05). Th e Form SAB 50-05 submitted by the district is an important document that cannot be altered or modifi ed by the OPSC. Th erefore, an improperly completed Form SAB 50-05 will be returned with a letter of explanation to the school district for correction.
When a properly executed form is received, the OPSC sends a School Facilities Fund Release notifi cation to the district representative and county offi ce of education. Th e notifi cation indicates the type of grant released, amount, school district, application number, school name, and date processed.
It is important to understand that a Form SAB 50-05 must be submitted within 18 months of the joint- use grant apportionment by the SAB, or the grant will be rescinded without further SAB action. Th e only exception to this is if the joint-use project is a Type II (stand-alone project). If it is a Type II (stand-alone) joint-use project, the district has one year from the apportionment date to submit fi nal DSA approved plans. Once the DSA approved plans are received by the OPSC, the district will have 18 months from that date to submit the Form SAB 50-05, or the grant will be rescinded without further SAB action.
Th e Form SAB 50-05 can be downloaded from the OPSC website. Th e properly executed Form SAB 50-05 should be submitted to:
Offi ce of Public School Construction Accounting
1130 K Street, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95814
8: Joint-Use Projects
References
»Education Code, Section 17077.42
»SFP Regulations, Section 1859.124.1, “Square Footage Facility Chart.”
Introduction
Th e School Facility Program (SFP) provides funding assistance to school districts for the modernization of school facilities. Th e assistance is in the form of grants approved by the State Allocation Board (SAB), and requires a 40 percent local contribution. A district is eligible for grants when students are housed in perma- nent buildings 25 years old or older and relocatable classrooms 20 years old or older and the buildings have not been previously modernized with State funds. Th e grant amount is increased and funding for specifi c utility upgrades is allowed if permanent buildings to be modernized are 50 years old or over. See Section 4, “Application for Eligibility.”
Th e modernization grant (pupil grant) amount is set in law and is based on the number of students housed in the over-age facilities. In addition to the basic grant amount, a district may be eligible for supplemental grants depending on the type and location of the project. In some cases, districts unable to contribute some or all of the local match may be eligible for fi nancial hardship. See Section 10, “Financial Hardship” for more information on this subject. Once the grants are determined for a project, a request is sent to the SAB for a modernization adjusted grant apportionment.
Th e modernization grant can be used to fund a large variety of work at an eligible school site. Air condi- tioning, insulation, roof replacement, as well as the purchase of new furniture and equipment are just a few of the eligible expenditures of modernization grants. A district may even use the grants to demolish and replace existing facilities of like kind. However, modernization funding may not be spent for construction of a new facility, except in very limited cases generally related to universal design compliance issues, or for site development.
Th is section explains the funding application process, typical requirements, and how to determine the modernization adjusted grant amount. It is important to understand that the discussion in this section focuses on the most common situations. Th ere are many variations that may apply to specifi c projects that can not be covered in this brief overview. As always, the district representative should meet with the Offi ce of Public School Construction (OPSC) project manager and discuss the district plan in detail.