The Overcrowding Relief Grant (ORG)

The State Allocation Board

&

The Office of Public School Construction

Presented by Lina Lyda

Overview

• Falls under the provisions of the School Facility Program (SFP)

• Allows for the creation of new school sites• Must result in a reduction of the number of portable

classrooms in the district• Requires the district to remove the replaced portables

from K-12 classroom use and from any ORG eligible school sites (doesn’t preclude use of portables as administration, preschool, storage, etc.)

• Cannot be used to replace any portables funded under the Class Size Reduction Program (Chapter 6.10 of the Ed. Code)

Eligibility Criteria

• Does not require new construction eligibility

• Does not result in reduction to SFP New Construction eligibility

• Based upon district-wide and site-specific eligibility

Getting Started

• Districts that are interested in the ORG should first begin the process by submitting their district-wide eligibility form (the Overcrowding Relief Grant Pupil Eligibility Determination, Form SAB 50-11)

• Districts should also work with the CDE to determine which school sites in their district will qualify for the ORG.

District-wide Eligibility

• Established on a district-wide or High School Attendance Area (HSAA) basis

• Requires submittal of Forms SAB 50-01, 50-02, and 50-03 (if the district has not established SFP new construction eligibility)

• Based on a district-wide or HSAA inventory of portable classrooms that were present at the time SFP eligibility was established

• Determined on the Form SAB 50-11

Form SAB 50-11

Section I

Captures information from the Form SAB 50-02 that was used to establish the district/HSAA new construction eligibility

Form SAB 50-11 (continued…)

Section IIEstablishes the total District-wide or HSAA ORG eligibility; based upon the total portables identified in Section I multiplied by the State loading standard

Site Specific Eligibility

• School sites are eligible if the pupil population density is 175% of that recommended by the CDE (based upon 2005/2006 CBEDS)

• The density calculation must take into account:– multistory construction, and – approved new construction projects, unless the district can prove

that the new construction projects do not relieve overcrowding at the site (i.e., the new construction projects that address multi-track or bussing issues)

• Must be reduced by a prorated number of Class-Size Reduction (CSR) portables at sites that serve grades K-3

• Will be determined on the CDE ORG Pupil Adjustment form and the ORG Eligibility Determination form

Class-Size Reduction Prorate

• Created to simplify the certifications made by the district regarding the current placement of CSR portables

• Prorate is reduced from all school sites that serve grades K-3, regardless of ORG eligibility

• The total district-wide/HSAA reductions cannot exceed the capacity the CSR portables in the district (number of CSR portables x 25 pupils)

Class-Size Reduction Prorate Example

Assume that the district received funding under the CSR program for 1,250 K-3 classrooms. The CSR prorate would be calculated accordingly:

1. Determine the number of K-3 portables funded = 1,2502. Determine the total number of schools in the district/HSAA that serve

grades K-3 (could be “span” schools) = 3403. Divide line (1) by line (2), and round up to the nearest whole number:

1,250 divided by 340 = 3.676, or 44. Multiply the amount determined in (3) by the K-6 State loading standard,

or 25:5. 4 x 25 = 100

The District would have to reduce the eligible pupils foreach school site that serves grades K-3 by 100 pupil grants.

Form SAB 50-11 (continued)

Section III

Determines the number of Class-Size Reduction portables that should be reduced from schools serving K-3 students

Funding

• Based upon the current new construction per-pupil grant for each grade level

• Does not have to be requested according to the type of school/project; similar to a “use of grants”

• Site acquisition funding available, based on the eligible pupil grants, if the district will be adding acreage or buying a new site and moving the classrooms there

• May request any NC grants that the project qualifies for (i.e., site development, excessive cost hardship grants, etc.)

• May not be used toward the construction, acquisition, or transportation of portable classrooms (may be used toward demolition)

• Will be funded in order of density at each funding cycle (most dense projects will be funded first)

Funding Limitations

• Projects are limited in the amount of pupil grants that may be requested:– By the amount of pupil grants that will reduce the site

density to 150% of the CDE recommended density– The capacity of portables being replaced in the project

(determined according to type of project and State loading standard)

– The district-wide available eligibility– The site specific available eligibility

Components of the Funding Application

The Application for Funding (Form SAB 50-04)– Indicating the pupil grant request, type of project, ORG school

site(s), number of classrooms, site acquisition, Additional Grant requests, Excessive Cost Hardship Grant requests, overcrowding relief narrative, certifications

DSA-Approved plans & specs Cost Estimate Real Estate documentation CDE Site/Plan Approvals CDE Eligibility documents Financial Hardship Approval

Application Processing

• OPSC Staff receive a complete application packet • Requests additional information, if necessary,

through 15-day and 4-day letters• Counsels district to maximize funding• Processes application to SAB for approval

according to the funding cycles• Adjusts the modernization eligibility, if necessary

Funding Cycles

• Semi-annual apportionments; with highest density projects funded first

• 3 apportionments, with the possibility for a 4th apportionment if funds remain

• Each funding cycle will roll over any remaining funds, which will become available at the next funding cycle.

Application Filing Deadlines Funds to be AllocatedJanuary 31, 2008 $500 MillionJuly 31, 2008 $300 MillionJanuary 30, 2009 $200 Million

Other Considerations

• No 60% Commensurate requirement• Financial Hardship

– No separate design or site apportionments– Districts may set aside design/site funds or acquire bridge

financing• No Environmental Hardships• Certifications on the Form SAB 50-04• Audits (Form SAB 50-06)• Portable removal (within 6 months of occupancy)• Signing contracts (grandfathering provision)• Savings to be captured at close-out

Questions…