Frequently Asked Questions

Enrollment Projections

1. When must the district update its SAB 50-01 for new construction?
   
   The District is required to update the SAB 50-01 by November 1 following the CBEDS reporting date identified by CDE.  The District will not be able to file any new construction applications until the SAB 50-01 has been updated.  If the County Office of Education has established its baseline such that the SDC and K-12 students are treated as separate baselines, then the County Office of Education must update the SDC baseline beginning January following the December reporting date identified by CDE.
    
2. For the current CBEDS reporting period, what information does the district use for reporting the SDC enrollment:
   
   The severe and non-severe SDC students for the current SAB 50-01 must reflect the SDC reported on the prior December.
    
3. Does the SDC enrollment include the RSP students?
   
   No.  the RSP students are not considered SDC for purposes of the SAB 50-01.

Facilities Inventory

1. If the district established its new construction baseline in the past and is now looking to establish modernization eligibility, must the teaching station count for the school to be modernized match the teaching station count at the time of the new construction baseline was established?
   
   No.  The classroom inventory for new construction and modernization is based on a "snapshot in time".  The "snapshot" may be taken at different times and the classroom count may be different at each of those time.
    
2. The district have not reported portable classrooms that they have been leased for more than five years.  Must the district report these classrooms as an increase in the new construction capacity on the next new construction application?
   
   a) If the portable classrooms has been leased for more than five years as of September 27, 2006, then they do not need to be reported.  The SAB provided this grandfathering provision since the law and regulations were unclear about reporting them  (SAB action of September 27, 2006)
   
   b) If the lease on the portable classroom will reach the fifth year after September 27, 2006, the district must either ask for a one time three year extension because it serves as interim facilities for a specific project or they must report them on the next new construction application.  Contact OPSC if you are wanting to use the same leased portable classroom as an interim facility for the next district project.

Joint Use

1. Assuming that the district could identify a joint use partner, how can I tell if the district can qualify for a joint use gym, library, multi-purpose room, Childcare/Preschool or Teacher Training Center?
   
   A district may qualify for a joint use facility if it does not have a Gym, Multi-purpose Room or library at a school site.  If the site has one of these facilities, then the question is whether the size of the facility is less than 50 percent of that recommended under the "Minimum Essential Facilities" guideline.  If the facility is of adequate size (more than 50 percent of that recommended), then the district does not qualify for a joint use facility at that site.
   
   In the case of a childcare/preschool or teacher training center, the district needs to work with the CDE to determine the number of individuals to be served by the joint use facility.  This will result in the estimated size of the project.
    
2. How much funding will the SAB provide?
   
   The SAB will provide funding on a square footage basis up to a $1 million for an elementary school project, up to $1.5 million for a middle school project and up to $2 million for a high school project.
    
3. Can the District fund the entire match?
   
   Under normal conditions, the district must find a joint use partner that is willing to provide at least 25 percent of the allowable project cost.  As an example:  project that qualifies for $1 million must find a partner that will fund at least $500,000 with the other $500,000 being provided by the district.
   
   However, if the district has passed a local bond in which the joint use project was specifically identified and the funds are to fully match the State contribution, the district can fund the entire match.  Crafting the bond language is very important.
    
4. What if the joint use partner can not contribute funds?
   
   The primary Joint Use partner must be a governmental or not-for-profit agency.  If they cannot fund their portion of the match, it is possible to include one or more additional joint use partners, that are not a governmental or not for profit agency, that are willing to put up the required match.  If no other partners are willing to contribute the required match and the district does not meet the local bond criteria noted in question 3 above, then the district is unable to file a joint use application with the SAB.
    

Modernization Application

1. If  I check the 3% access compliance box on the application form, will I be required to get concurrence from DSA?
   
   When the SAB approved districts to include an increased amount of access compliance work in the project budget, they asked OPSC to return with information as to whether the 3% amount was sufficient or understating the cost of this work.  As a result DSA provided OPSC with a form which they will sign confirming the access compliance work in the plans.  OPSC can only respond to the SAB if they request this form from both districts that only want the 3% and districts that want a larger allowance.  Therefore, every modernization application must be accompanied by the DSA access compliance form.