We all know that high quality facilities have a direct impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Furthermore, the longer students are in school, the more they learn.

So, thankfully, with the upcoming expansion of Transitional Kindergarten, California now has an additional $490 million dollars to help school districts build or retrofit facilities used for Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, and Kindergarten classrooms. Assembly Bill 130, approved by the Governor and chaptered on July 9, 2021, provides State general funds for facilities when schools offer “full day” schedules for their youngest learners.

We strongly advice school districts to MOVE ON THIS QUICKLY. Time is limited and the program will be very popular. We are experts in helping Districts process their applications for funding and managing construction projects. There are more details about program requirements below.

The Office of Public School Construction is moving forward with stakeholder input on how to implement the new laws, but much of what was in place in the former “Full Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program” will remain.

If current plans remain in place, the first round of applications will need to be filed during the month of March, 2022 and the second round in March of 2023. Funds are limited and we can easily forecast that this grant will be oversubscribed, so being prepared in advance is critical. There are multiple requirements, including the need to demonstrate that the current and/or forecast enrollment will exceed the current classroom capacity. Classrooms will need to satisfy the design requirements required for Kindergarten classrooms as specified in Title 5 of CA Code of Regulations.

Districts will need to match 50% of the grant funding. However, Districts that can demonstrate financial hardship and are located in an underserved area are exempt and prioritized for the program. “Full-Day” is defined as longer than four (4) hours of instruction, excluding recess.

Paperwork and timelines are complicated, but manageable, especially when Districts have expert help.

OPSC will host another virtual stakeholder input meeting on October 12 from 10am to 12noon before proposing final regulations for this program. TRiGroup, Inc. staff will attend. Click HERE for further details about the upcoming meeting.