And while there is no universal agreement about the optimum size for a school, there appears to be growing conviction among researchers that student achievement would be improved if schools were smaller than they are now in California. Many experts on school reform and school facilities see a fundamental mismatch between how schools need to operate and the buildings most schools occupy. In one publication after another, both state and national experts characterize existing school facilities as obstacles to educational improvement. Such space is woefully missing in many California schools. For one, local communities and the state as a whole must invest more in school facilities.
Funds can come from several sources.
State funds, which have historically accounted for nearly half of funding for school facilities, come from the passage of voter-approved state bonds. Local sources include general obligation bonds and fees assessed on real estate developers when they undertake new projects. The Governor and Legislature have the authority to put the matter of increased funding before California's voters. If they do so, then California's voters could make the decision about how important it is to invest in public school facilities. All Rights Reserved.