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SCHOOL PROGRAM PLANNING
Because requirements for excellence in education extend far beyond school facilities, JCJ Partners also works with clients on development and implementation of alternative state-of-the-art education programs. During the process, cutting edge education programs are researched. The firm involves the expertise of educators from universities, community colleges, the County Department of Education, the California Department of Education, and others to custom tailor education programs for K-12 students. Company professionals work closely with key school officials to reach understanding regarding proposed programs. Once the program goals are finalized and agreed upon by all parties JCJ Partners assists in its implementation.
BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS
Unique development conditions sometimes create a need for a school district boundary adjustment. JCJ Partners works with the client to analyze the existing school boundaries and the feasibility of alternative alignments and proposes appropriate adjustments. This analysis includes identifying issues related to the nine Education Code criteria that must be met to change the boundary. Additionally, JCJ Partners negotiates with school districts and county departments of education to resolve issues. The firm prepares strategies and schedules, and oversees the coordination of the entire process with all parties involved.
FACILITIES MITIGATION & FINANCE AGREEMENTS
Mitigation agreements address how school impacts can be met in ways that are satisfactory for serving the needs of new residential communities, existing residences and school districts. They are based on arriving at understandings and commitments between a school district and a developer/landowner. Our mitigation agreements typically provide a facilities plan for housing new students and a financing program that may include state funding, developer fees, Mello-Roos Community Facilities Districts, General Obligation bonds, and/or other financing mechanisms. The goal of JCJ Partners is to provide solutions that are sensitive to the needs of all parties and provide flexibility in a constantly changing real estate development market.
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION
Mitigation program implementation is an on-going process that begins with the completion of mitigation agreements. JCJ Partners oversees mitigation program implementation and addresses issues as they arise during the school planning, state school construction funding approvals, school site approvals and the construction process. The firm monitors school district and state funding program activity and creates and coordinates project schedules.
POLICY & STATE FUNDING ANALYSIS
The state school facilities funding system evolves continuously. JCJ Partners monitors proposed and approved laws and regulations and alerts clients to their effects. The firm also serves as an advocate on school issues that influence project approval and delivery of school facilities in a timely manner.
SURPLUS SCHOOL REAL PROPERTY
As land becomes scarce in California, unused school properties owned by school districts become exciting opportunities for infill real-estate development. JCJ Partners Associates helps clients research and identify potential school sites for sale and/or lease. Clients are informed about the process of declaring surplus school district assets. The firm plays a role in monitoring and coordinating the surplus property sale/lease process on the individual school district basis.
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
To assist the client in successful completion of the entitlement process, JCJ Partners evaluates the political and community arena of the school jurisdiction and helps address school issues that may arise. Working closely with the client, the firm develops strategies for attaining the desired objectives regarding potential school programs, issues and solutions.
Building positive relationships with school districts and developers helps JCJ Partners negotiate understandings with school districts such as how project students will be served, how the project will impact existing schools and how new facilities will be funded. These understandings between school districts and developers may be documented in a memorandum of understanding or a mitigation agreement that best suits the needs of the client.
ASSESSMENTS
Understanding school impacts from new development begins with an assessment of school issues. This involves review, development, and evaluation of student generation rates, school capacity, state funding eligibility, operating and capital budgets, local policies and practices, and demographic trends of a school district. Based on the results of initial studies, JCJ Partners evaluates the need for new school facilities and school sites within the project and prepares cost estimates to provide school facilities to serve the project.
To finance the school facilities program, JCJ Partners explores opportunities for state and local funding in all forms and creates programs and cash flow models that would facilitate opening of schools in a timely manner.
DEVELOPER FEE STUDIES
Level 2 fees allow the school district to impose developer fees above the statutory Level 1 amount, up to 50 percent of new school construction costs. To implement Level 2 fees, the governing board of the school district must adopt annually a School Facility Needs Analysis (SFNA) as well as meet other pre-requisites in accordance with the law. The purpose of the SFNA is to determine the need for new school facilities attributable to enrollment growth from new residential development. The SFNA documents that the district has met prerequisite eligibility tests and calculates the magnitude of the fee per square foot of new residential development based on various demographic and market variables.
According to information available from the Office of Public School Construction, although state funds for new school construction are still available, they are likely to be exhausted in the near future. Level 3 fees apply if the state runs out of state bond funds, allowing the school district to impose 100 percent of cost of the school facility or mitigation minus any local dedicated school moneys. Level 3 fees are twice the Level 2 fees. JCJ Partners reviews and critiques SFNAs, evaluating eligibility to impose Level 2 and Level 3 fees and factors that attribute to the magnitude of the fees.
ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
JCJ Partners helps the client address the school requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act by evaluating school impacts and producing a statement of mitigation measures to address the impacts of the project.
JOINT-USE FACILITIES
JCJ Partners evaluates and helps to plan joint-use facilities, which have benefits for the project, the district and the community.
Please contact us for additional services not listed on this page.
JCJ PARTNERS, LLC 