Green Ribbon Schools Award Webinar
On Friday, January 20, 2012 the California Department of Education hosted a webinar to explain the application process for the Green Ribbon Schools Award program.
Webinar Power Point Presentation: Green Ribbon Schools Award Program Website and Application (PDF; 420KB; 29pp.)
Accessible version to the Power Point Presentation Green Ribbon Schools Award Program Website and Application
Recording of Webinar Power Point Presentation: Green Ribbon Schools Award Program Website and Application (AUD; 0:13)
(Recording ID: wo48005, Attendee Key: Attend48005)
Transcript of recording of Webinar Power Point Presentation: Green Ribbon Schools Award Program Website and Application
Green Ribbon Schools Award Program
On September 29, 2011 the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the creation of the Green Ribbon Schools Award Program to recognize schools that are creating healthy and sustainable learning environments and teaching environmental literacy. The California Department of Education (CDE) will evaluate schools based on their facilities' environmental impact and health and enviornmental education. Based on the evaluation the CDE will select nominees to send to the U.S. Department of Education for consideration in being recognized as a Green Ribbon School.
Schools of the Future Report, September 2011
This report (PDF; 1MB; 92pp.) focuses on two key policy areas: state school facility program reform and the design of high performance, green schools. On January 14, 2011, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced the Schools of the Future Initiative as part of his new administration and convened a stakeholder team. The team was charged with providing recommendations in eight policy areas:
- Educational Impact of Design
- School Site Selection and Community Impact
- Modernization
- Funding and Governance
- High Efficiency Schools
- Renewable Energy
- Grid Neutral Schools
- Financing of High Performance Schools
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Urges President Obama to Protect Education Jobs and Invest in Schools
News Release - As President Barack Obama prepares to address a joint session of Congress on job creation and economic growth, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is urging him to protect education jobs and help rebuild California schools.
Qualified School Construction Bond Reauthorization - August 23, 2011
Several local educational agencies that received an authorization in January 2011 did not issue the authorization or the full amount of the authorization received. Per Education Code Section 12001.6(c)(13)(C) the California Department of Education shall allocate reverted federal qualified school construction bond authorizations as they are available and until all are issued. The total amount available for reauthorization is $134,040,407. The following local educational agencies will receive 2010 qualified school construction bond authorization:
| District | County | Authorization |
|---|---|---|
| Cutler Orosi Joint Unified | Tulare | $9,000,000 |
| Klamath Trinity Joint Unified | Humboldt | $3,900,000 |
| Bellevue Union | Sonoma | $12,500,000 |
| Firebaugh Las Deltas Joint Union | Fresno | $7,000,000 |
| Robla Elementary | Sacramento | $7,500,000 |
| Caruthers Unified | Fresno | $2,141,300 |
| Lennox Elementary | Los Angeles | $3,000,000 |
| Imperial County Office of Education | Imperial | $25,000,000 |
| Anaheim City | Orange | $25,000,000 |
| Emery Unified | Alameda | $25,000,000 |
Total amount authorized $120,041,300 - August 23, 2011
A Blueprint for Great Schools
The California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson released A Blueprint for Great Schools on August 9, 2011, a report by his 59-member Transition Advisory Team that provides key recommendations in nine education policy areas including school facilities.
Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund
Assembly Bill 2729, statutes of 2008, created the School District Account (Outside Source) in the Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund within the State Water Resources Control Board. The Fund is used to reimburse eligible owners and operators of petroleum underground tanks, including school districts, for costs of cleaning up releases from leaking underground tanks. The special account created solely for school districts expires in June 2012. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than January 2, 2012.
Drinking Water for Students in Schools
Senate Bill 1413 (PDF; Outside Source), Chapter 558, Statutes of 2010 established California Education Code Section 38086, which requires school districts to provide access to free, fresh drinking water during meal times in school service areas by July 1, 2011, unless the governing board of a school district adopts a resolution stating it is unable to comply with the requirement due to fiscal constraints or health and safety concerns. Further information is available on the California Department of Education's Healthy Eating and Nutrition Education Web page.
Non-integrated Special Education Projects (Pre K-12) Procedure
The School Facilities Planning and Special Education Divisions have developed a procedure for local educational agencies to use in requesting the School Facilities Planning Division's (SFPD) review of non-integrated special education facilities. Contact your assigned SFPD consultant with any questions. See Education Code Section 17070.80 (Outside Source) and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 14036.
Ensuring High Quality School Environments
Power Point Presentation: Ensuring High Quality School Environments, A Policy Overview (PPT; 2MB; 22pp.). This presentation was presented at the Smart Schools for Sustainable Communities: Aligning Sustainable Communities Planning and Public Education in California on August 31, 2010. The presentation provides perspective on school building in California, the role of local districts, and the challenges faced.
Accessible version to the Power Point Presentation: Ensuring High Quality School Environments, A Policy Overview.
California Department of Water Resources Teaming with Educators to Make Campuses More Flood Safe
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is developing Building Code updates for new or significantly improved school facilities pursuant to Senate Bill 5 and Health and Safety Code Section 50465. New codes would apply only in areas protected by state-federal levees and that are subject to more than three feet of flooding from a "200-year" flood event (a flood that has a one-half percent chance of happening each year). The purpose is twofold: improve public safety and reduce significant and costly building damage in areas at risk for catastrophic flooding.
DWR will host a half-day workshops in Stockton and Woodland where they will share information about and ask for detailed input from school facility planners, designers, and users to refine the draft Building Code update. Information on the dates and locations of the workshops, how to RSVP, and a draft list of affected school districts may be found on DWR's Building Standards Code Update Program (Outside Source) Website.
