Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Education's Impact on Economic Development

  • By Dr. Jesus M. Gandara
  • 08/01/10
StartFragment

Education’s Impact on Economic Development

Passed in November 2006, Prop O is a school classroom, safety and repair measure providing $644 million in funds necessary to address the needs of the 32 campuses in the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD).

The fiscal impact of the bond measure to the economically impoverished area is immense. The district is wholly dedicated to maximizing the reinvestment of Prop O bond dollars back into the South Bay communities that have chosen to tax themselves to fund the much-needed modernization of the local schools.

 In addition to the qualified South Bay workforce, Prop O contractors have had the opportunity to meet with local South Bay construction suppliers and vendors, allowing for further bond dollar reinvestment in South Bay. Prop O has a dedicated outreach team that specifically works to create opportunities for local workers to participate on district projects. Among them, networking events between general contractors and subcontractors, as well as the Prop O Employment Expo, where general contractors on the project were available to speak with and accept applications from local construction workers.

Additionally, the SUHSD Board of Trustees laid the ground work for a long term vision of the environmental and economic impact of district facilities by adopting Board Resolution No. 3794, calling for green building practices to be employed where possible during Prop O construction. The district’s adopted resolution and commitment to green building have resulted in California’s largest LEED Gold-certified school district construction program in-design.

The economic impact of the district’s green building efforts will produce increased property values and a platform for the generation of tomorrow to excel. By implementing green features, students will learn first-hand the ways in which these technologies create a more sustainable community. This knowledge will be rooted in the future workforce of South Bay as they understand the importance of energy efficiency.

Dr. Jesus M. Gandara is the superintendent of the Sweetwater Union High School District in California.

EndFragment

Featured

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Reopens Following $25M Campus Modernization

    Haʻaheo Elementary School in Hilo, Hawaii, has reopened to students following a three-year, $25-million campus modernization and expansion project that significantly increases the school's instructional space while preserving one of the island's oldest educational institutions, according to local news.