COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT BUILDING SCHOOLS
How are school facilities generally funded in California?
School districts in California receive little funding for facilities from the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Districts that are not considered "basic aid" usually generate funding for facilities from local bond measures, parcel taxes, proposition 39 (for energy projects) or developer fees. VUSD receives funding for facilities from bond Measure A, Prop 39 (for energy projects) and developer fees.
What is Measure A?
Bond financing is a type of long-term borrowing that state and local governments frequently use to raise money, primarily for long-lived infrastructure assets. The funds are obtained by selling bonds to investors. In exchange, the money is repaid with interest, according to specified schedules.
The Vacaville Measure A bond is a $194,000,000 general obligation bond for VUSD facility improvements passed on November 4, 2014 with a 61% yes vote. Funds for the bond are scheduled to be received in four installments over 20 years. All Measure A projects were included in the language presented on the ballot in 2014. Projects or expenditures outside of the voter-approved scope is not permitted. Measure A expenditures are reviewed by a Citizen's Oversight Committee as well as independent auditors on an annual basis.
How are Measure A projects, budgets and priorities determined?
The VUSD Board of Trustees approves projects, budgets and phasing. Some factors involved in determining Measure A phases, budgets and projects include: age of school facility, timing for school eligibility for state or federal matching funds (eligibility often cycles every 20 years,) students population, volume pricing for adjacent facilities, school rotation in Measure V project phases, facility equity and other criteria. VUSD made extensive efforts in 2013-14 to research and understand facility needs across the district. A project scope was developed for the November 2014 election ballot. Measure A expenditures must adhere to the ballot language approved by voters.
What are developer fees?
Government Code section 65995 and California Education Code 17620 allows the governing board of any school district to levy fees on residential or commercial/industrial construction projects within a school district's boundaries for the purpose of funding the construction or reconstruction of school facilities. Developer fees are most commonly paid when a newly constructed home is built. The State Allocation Board (SAB) sets the per-square-foot Level I school impact fees (a.k.a. "developer fees") every two years at its January meeting in even number years (i.e., 2010, 2012, 2014). Alternative School Fees (a.k.a. Level II or Level III fees) may also be collected by districts meeting certain requirements.
How much does VUSD receive from developers?
The current VUSD developer fees are $5.17 per square foot for residential and $0.84 per square foot for commercial/industrial. Some developments have specific mitigation agreements with the district that dictate a fixed amount per residential unit. Contact your homebuilder or the school district for those developments.
How does VUSD use developer fees?
In general, VUSD works to save developer fees for future construction of a new school. However, these funds are used to add classrooms to existing school sites to keep pace with growth. Developer fees have also been used to open new schools that serve all students in the district such as the Ernest Kimme Charter Academy and the Shelley Dally Early Learning Village.