Two Local Schools Get Some Serious State Money
The state is giving out nearly $200 million in grants and loans for building or modernizing career technical education facilities at high schools across California and two local spots are on the recipient list.
The Southern California Regional Occupation Center, commonly known as SCROC although they're now asking to be referred to as SoCal ROC instead (an image thing? not sure), will receive almost $3 million from the overall pot, for upgrading its health science and medical technology facilities.
And the Centinela Valley Union High School District will get almost $2 million to be spent at Lawndale High School on a project identified by the state only as relating to "arts, media and entertainment."
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That Centinela's take will go toward perhaps, hopefully, finally finishing the extremely overdue performing arts center? If so, bravo, Centinela, bravo. I'll find out for sure and report back to you all, and asap!
The money in total is coming from the State Allocation Board (SAB), which has the Office of Public School Construction under its umbrella. Funding was awarded across 15 different industry sectors for 174 projects at high schools or other local educational facilities statewide.
The SAB provides grants to school districts for new school buildings and the modernization of facilities. The agency's new CTE Facilities program is a 50-50 process that requires a school to provide a matching contribution. A school district can apply for new construction or modernization funding if its facility is a comprehensive high school. A Joint Powers Authority can also apply for modernization funding if they were operating a career technical education program. The maximum grant is $3 million per project, per school site. If a district qualifies, the SAB can also loan all or part of the matching contribution.
A total of $185 million in grants were awarded. The SAB allocated another $14 million in loans for districts that were unable to provide the required matching funds (Centinela included, according to a state-provided chart).
And now for the requisite canned quote from an official-type person: “Governor Schwarzenegger has a strong, personal commitment and belief that career tech programs are an educational alternative that many California kids need,” said SAB member and Department of General Services Director Will Bush. “The benefit of these wonderful programs is that they provide the opportunity for our young adults to join the California workforce with enhanced skills and be more productive citizens.”
For a complete list of all the projects that received funding visit, click here.