Altadena Elementary School (Photo – ColoradoBlvd.net)
Ballot initiative seeks to create a State general obligation bond act to renovate, fix, and construct facilities.
By News Desk
On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and coauthored by Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath that has the County take an official position to support Proposition (Prop) 2. This ballot initiative seeks to create a State general obligation bond act that would provide $8.5 billion for K-12 schools and $1.5 billion to community colleges to renovate, fix, and construct facilities.
Climate change continues to impact Los Angeles County, with increased frequency of temperature extremes and hotter, longer heat waves that threaten the health and well-being of residents, especially children. In September 2023, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion to protect vulnerable students from extreme heat on school campuses, instructing the County to collaborate with school districts on efforts to support climate resilience and cooling at schools. Many school districts, although on board with making improvements to facilities, faced difficulty implementing change due to lack of funding.
“The extreme heat and weather conditions in California have been difficult and draining on all Angelenos, but especially our youth in school,” said Supervisor Solis. “Prop 2, if passed, would allow for a historic investment in school greening – protecting our students vulnerable to heat by funding air conditioning, more playgrounds, and shade structures.”
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, 38% of students attend schools that do not meet the State’s minimum safety standards, resulting in students with lower attendance rates, lower morale, and lower achievement. Thousands of schools in California, including the County, are susceptible to extreme heat, with broken air conditioning, lack of shading and greenery, and other health and safety hazards.
“Proposition 2 is an important opportunity to invest in repairs to public school campuses that are essential to student learning and wellbeing—from improving cooling and shade to classroom upgrades,” said Chair Lindsey P. Horvath. “Today’s motion calls on our LA County Office of Education to partner with local school districts to ensure Los Angeles County schools receive the funding they desperately need, and that our children deserve.”
To ensure funding is available to all school districts in need, the motion also instructs the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) to work with school districts across the County to raise awareness of funding opportunities that may be made available with the passing of Prop 2, and to proactively provide technical assistance, especially to those districts that have fewer resources, to ensure they are prepared with their applications as soon as the funding is available.
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