GLASER | Joint Use of School Sports Facilities
2.2 RATIONALE FOR JOINT USE 2.2.1 HISTORY
The 1917 California Civic Center Act laid the first policy foundation for joint use of school facilities,7 establishing California’s public schools as “civic centers” and where the citizens…may engage in supervised recreational activities, and where they may meet and discuss…any and all subjects…[which] may appertain to the educational, political, economic, artistic, and moral interests of the citizens of the respective communities in which they may reside.12
Since then, California’s Education Code has added to this policy framework for joint use of schools, detailing important issues such as appropriation of funding, leasing and contractual agreements, and property management.7 Currently, 2007-2008, proposition 1D has provided funding for a narrowly defined type of joint use programs (which identifies school gymnasiums as the only joint use project related to physical activity). This proposition stemmed from SB15 in 2003, which was preceded by AB 16. Schools can apply for joint use grants through the School Facilities Planning Division, California Department of Education. Levels of funding vary depending on the grade level and enrollment of the schools applying for the grant. In applying for the joint use grants, schools are required to pay for 50% of the costs associated with the project (projected by contractors and architects). This 50% can be garnered in partnership with the local parks and recreation and/or the city working with the school on this project. Section 2.3 of this paper will outline the differences between the current law and the proposed AB 346. 2.2.2 SCHOOLS AS CENTERS OF COMMUNITIES
Schools are a focal point and an important asset of any community; they are also a robust indicator of a community’s health and future wellbeing, as reflected in property tax rates, poverty levels, density, age of infrastructure, and certain characteristics within the school population.13 –4–