State Proposition 2 – Kindergarten through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024, is a $10 billion school bond initiative.  If approved the measure would fund new construction and modernization for k-12 public schools and community colleges. 

What is Proposition 2?

• Titled the “Kindergarten through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024,” Proposition 2 will be on the November 2024 general election ballot. This long overdue and much-needed statewide school bond initiative would provide $10 billion in funding for the facilities needs of K-12 public schools and community colleges.

The school bond would fund new construction and modernization of existing facilities. This includes desperately needed improvements to school facilities like spaces used for STEM and career technical education
 

How will Proposition 2 help drive economic growth and improve public education?

• Numerous studies have proven that safe, healthy and robust learning environments contribute to increased academic outcomes for students, leading to higher graduation rates and a well- educated and skilled workforce that is able and ready to contribute to California’s economy.

• California’s public educational system is one of the foundational elements of its economy — investing in California’s public schools is a critical component of ensuring that it remains a leader in the national and global economies. This bond will invest in California’s greatest capital — its students.

‌Does Proposition 2 help address California’s public school facility needs?

• Yes, the main elements of the K-12 public school portion will be split into the following programs and amounts:

  • New construction: $3.3 billion — this program will help local educational agencies build new schools and expand existing school sites to meet the educational needs of their students. Facilities will be built to current standards, helping to provide students with 21st century learning environments.

  • Modernization: $4 billion — this program will help renovate and improve existing school sites to help address existing or anticipated school facility needs, including HVAC upgrades, sustainability improvements, technology upgrades and other important improvements.

  • Career technical education: $600 million — this funding will continue to help prepare students to enter the workforce through supporting the construction and enhancement of school classrooms to meet the needs of the state’s economy, from Silicon Valley to the robust agribusiness needs of California’s Central Valley, from the burgeoning life sciences industry in San Diego to the industrial and conveyance industry needs of the Inland Empire counties of Riverside and San Bernardino.

  • Charter schools: $600 million — this funding will help existing charter schools build needed learning environments for their students.

‌Will Proposition 2 increase state taxes on the public?

No, principal and interest payments are made from existing state revenues.

‌How does Proposition 2 help address issues of equity in the state’s public school facilities program?

• It includes several changes to provide additional resources for lower wealth and small school districts. This includes a sliding scale for how school districts with lower property values can receive increased funding for new construction and modernization projects.

It also increases the cap on bonding capacity for districts qualifying for financial hardship grants from $5 million to $15 million and adds an annual inflation adjuster that increases the cap over time. This will increase the number of school districts that can qualify for financial hardship funding over time, helping to expand access to school districts with little to no bonding capacity.

‌More than half of California’s school districts are small school districts. How does Proposition 2 help prioritize their needs?

• It includes funding priorities for small school districts, including:

  • Establishing a process to provide small school districts with technical assistance.

  • Providing a prioritization for small school districts that have a low bonding capacity and high percentages of youth in foster care, youth experiencing homelessness and English learners.

  • Setting aside 10 percent of the new construction ($330 million) and modernization ($400 million) grant funding for small school districts.

‌What accountability measures does Proposition 2 include to ensure that proceeds are used properly?

• Proposition 2 includes elements to address accountability and transparency including requiring school districts to hold a public hearing and adopt a five-year facilities master plan, which includes providing an inventory of facilities to the state and posting project and audit information to their websites.

• School districts receiving bond funding must annually perform audits to ensure that the bond dollars are spent according to law.

‌Questions?

Please contact Patrick O’Donnell, CSBA Chief of Governmental Relations, at podonnell@csba.org or Chris Reefe, CSBA Legislative Director, at creefe@csba.org