Parents, community, encouraged to get involved in improving DHS, Branch Elementary Published Feb. 10, 2015 By Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Muroc Joint Unified School District is inviting parents, employees and community members to attend Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Community Meetings to see how the LCAP works and discover the importance of completing the LCAP survey. The LCAP is an important way for parents to engage in decision making for their local schools and learn about important budget measures coming up that will effect California schools. Two meetings will be offered so people can pick a convenient time to attend. The first meeting on Edwards AFB is Feb. 18 at Desert Junior-Senior High School. Another meeting will be held at Boron Junior-Senior High School Feb. 19. Both meetings will be from 5 p.m. to 5:45. Meetings will also be held in March and April with dates to be scheduled. Public Schools near Military Bases Facilities Appropriation California has 11 schools in six school districts in the top 33 of the Secretary of Defense Priority List of schools that need funding. Desert J-S High School and Branch Elementary fall on this list. Both base schools qualify for Public Schools on Military Installations Grant Program for renovation, repair or reconstruction of their facilities. An amount not to exceed $61 million is required to cover the 20% match required by the DOD for the 11 California schools on the list. Provision of this match will leverage approximately $240 million in federal funds for renovation, repair or reconstruction of school facilities in CA school districts. There are two California State bills authored by California State senator Jean Fuller, 16th Senate District, which are SB 111 and SB 121. The bills are designed to assist schools located on military bases by helping fund the 20% match requirement mandated by the DOD Office of Economic Adjustment. If Edwards AFB residents or members of the local community would like to submit letters of support or opposition to SB 111 and SB 121, they can send the letters to: CA Senate Education Committee Senator Carol Liu, Chair State Capitol Room 2083 Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax: 916-445-7799 And: Senator Jean Fuller State Capitol Room 3063 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-651-4016 Fax: 916-651-4916 They can also be dropped off at Branch Elementary's or Desert J/S High School's main offices. You can keep up to date with Muroc Joint Unified School District info at www.facebook.com/murocschools. Background Between 2011 and 2013, Congress provided the DOD $770 million in funding to construct, renovate, repair, or expand elementary and secondary public schools on military or facility condition deficiencies identified on the Secretary's Priority List. In December 2014 Congress made an additional appropriation of $175 million to this fund AND additional stipulations on the matching share requirement. Now the matching share is required to be provided by the local education authority the school is located in or the State in which the school is located. According to information from Fuller's office, the majority of the PSMI eligible school districts in California cannot raise the required 20% match through bond elections due to the fact that in many areas there is low-assessed property valuation. The DOD has given its Office of Economic Adjustment authority to drop schools on the priority list if: 1. Local Education Agencies are unable to come up with their match requirement or, 2. The state the school is in chooses not to cover the match requirement. If California chooses not to help these 11 schools with their 20% match requirement it could jeopardize funding for all California schools on the SECDEF Priority List.