This week, the RCRC Board of Directors voted to “Support” Proposition 51, the “Kindergarten Through Community College Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2016.” Commonly known as the School Bond, Proposition 51 provides $9 billion in bond funding for K-12 and community college facility modernization and new construction projects, including monies for charter schools and career technical education facilities.
There is a growing backlog of K-12 and community college construction projects across the state, and many rural school districts do not have the financial resources to fund these projects solely within their communities. As such, state assistance in the form of bond proceeds will ensure that rural school facilities are not second-rate. Proposition 51 provides needed funding for K-14 facilities to repair and fix old schools and build new classrooms, and will be a significant step forward to address the state’s school construction needs, whether the need is in urban, suburban or rural areas. If it is approved by voters, Proposition 51 would be the first statewide school facility bond to be enacted since 2006.