The State Allocation Board: Improving Transparency and Structure

Report #188, August 2007
The State Allocation Board: Improving Transparency and Structure

Full Report

Executive Summary

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2007

For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125

Commission Urges Improvement of State Allocation Board Transparency and Structure

The Little Hoover Commission on Thursday urged the state to reform the governance structure of the State Allocation Board to enhance its transparency, accountability and independence. The Commission conducted the review of the governance structure of the State Allocation Board (SAB) at the request of the board’s legislative members.

In its report, The State Allocation Board: Improving Transparency and Structure, the Commission said that in its six decades, the board has functioned well despite a flawed governance structure. The board has functioned as well as it has due in large part to the professionalism of its staff over the years, which put the mission of the SAB above the governance issues created by specific job classifications.

“In our review of the SAB, the Commission found an entity that, while operating adequately, potentially was vulnerable to political manipulation, and one where accountability and transparency could be enhanced significantly,” Commission Chairman Dan Hancock said.

Specifically, the Commission found a governance structure that could not be described by a normal organization chart and weakened by changes that were made for political reasons, not with the goal of improving educational outcomes for California students. When problems have arisen at the board, a weak governance structure has been an impediment to setting the organization right.

The Commission urged the governor and the Legislature to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the request of the board’s legislative members – in the absence of crisis – to strengthen the board’s governance structure, equip it with independent staff, streamline its management and put in place measures to increase its transparency.

“Any entity charged with deciding how to allocate billions of public dollars to public school di stricts around the state is bound to generate criticism and secondguessing of its motives, justified or not,” Hancock said. “A board’s best strategy is transparency and accountability. The SAB has functioned well, but it could function better.”

The Commission made three recommendations for improving the SAB:

  • Reform the board’s composition to increase public and expert participation and improve the balance of executive and legislative roles. Members should serve staggered, fixed terms to improve overall SAB accountability. The Department of Finance representative should serve as the chair of the board.
     
  • Make the SAB an independent entity by moving the staff and functions of the Office of Public School Construction to the SAB and requiring the board to de velop and submit its own budget. The board should hire its own executive officer and eliminate the assistant executive officer position.
     
  • Increase the SAB’s transparency to the public and stakeholders by requiring the board to formally adopt and make public its own rules of order, which aggregate existing operating procedures and better define the role of the Implementation Committee.


The Little Hoover Commission is a bipartisan and independent state agency charged with recommending ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs. The Commission’s recommendations are sent to the governor and the Legislature. To obtain a copy of the report, The State Allocation Board: Improving Transparency and Structure, contact the Commission or visit its Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov.

Fact Sheet

Study Description

For this study, the Commission examined the governance structure of the State Allocation Board (SAB). The SAB is responsible for determining the allocation of bond and other state money used for new building and modernizing local public school facilities. By statute, the SAB consists of 10 members, including the director of the Department of Finance, who is the chair; the director of the Department of General Services; the State Superintendent of Public Instruction; a citizen appointed by the Governor; and six legislative members.  The staff of the Office of Public School Construction implements and administers the SAB’s School Facility Program and other programs. With a goal of improving the functioning and efficiency of the State Allocation Board and its staff, the Commission examined the board’s governance structure, the composition of the board, its mode of operation and its interaction with the Office of Public School Construction and the Department of General Services.


Previous Studies

Agenda

Overview

In this report, the Commission urges the state to reform the governance structure of the State Allocation Board to enhance its transparency, accountability and independence.

During its review, the Commission found an entity that, while operating adequately, potentially was vulnerable to political manipulation, one where accountability and transparency could be enhanced significantly. The Commission found a governance structure that could not be described by a normal organizational chart, and one exacerbated by changes made for political reasons, not with the goal of improving educational outcomes for California students. When problems have arisen at the board, a weak governance structure has been an impediment to setting the organization right.

The Commission recommends reforming the board’s composition to increase public and expert participation and improve the balance of executive and legislative roles. The Commission also recommends making the board an independent entity by moving the staff and functions of the Office of Public School Construction to the board and requiring the board to develop and submit its own budget. Finally, the Commission recommends Increasing the board’s transparency to the public and stakeholders by requiring the board to formally adopt and make public its own rules of order, which aggregate existing operating procedures and better define the role of the Implementation Committee.

Print 
			Agenda
  • May 24
    2007
    State Allocation Board
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Meeting
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on the Governance Structure of the State Allocation Board 
    Thursday, May 24, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. 
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Background and Major Issues 

    1. Anne Sheehan, Chief Deputy Director of Policy, Department of Finance and Chair, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       

    Board Member Perspectives 

    1. Senator Jack Scott, Member, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Rob Cook, Deputy Director of Interagency Support Division, Department of General Services and Member, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       
    3. Kathleen Moore, Director of School Facilities Planning Division, Department of Education and Member, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       

    Staff Perspectives 

    1. Lori Morgan, Acting Executive Officer, State Allocation Board and Office of Public School Construction (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Mavonne Garrity, Assistant Executive Officer, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Perspectives of Former Staff 

    1. Luisa M. Park, former Executive Officer, State Allocation Board and Office of Public School Construction (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Bruce Hancock, former Assistant Executive Officer, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Expert Perspectives 

    1. Christopher Ansell, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    May 10, 2007

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meetings

    On Thursday, May 24, 2007, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on the governance structure of California’s State Allocation Board. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento. The Commission will examine the board’s governance structure, composition and mode of operation. A complete agenda is on the reverse.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    Also, the Career Technical Education Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a site visit of Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, from 9 a.m. until noon. The school is located at 451 McClatchy Way in Sacramento.

    The Career Technical Education Advisory Committee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, from 1:30 until 4:30 p.m. at the University of Southern California Sacramento Center located at 1800 I Street, Sacramento. The advisory committee will discuss career technical education programs in California.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, May 17, 2007. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site, www.calchannel.com.

Print 
		Agenda
  • May 24
    2007
    State Allocation Board
    9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 437, Sacramento, CA
    Public Meeting
    Agenda

    AGENDA

    Public Hearing on the Governance Structure of the State Allocation Board 
    Thursday, May 24, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. 
    State Capitol, Room 437 
    Sacramento, CA


    Opening Remarks

    Background and Major Issues 

    1. Anne Sheehan, Chief Deputy Director of Policy, Department of Finance and Chair, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       

    Board Member Perspectives 

    1. Senator Jack Scott, Member, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Rob Cook, Deputy Director of Interagency Support Division, Department of General Services and Member, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       
    3. Kathleen Moore, Director of School Facilities Planning Division, Department of Education and Member, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
       

    Staff Perspectives 

    1. Lori Morgan, Acting Executive Officer, State Allocation Board and Office of Public School Construction (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Mavonne Garrity, Assistant Executive Officer, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Perspectives of Former Staff 

    1. Luisa M. Park, former Executive Officer, State Allocation Board and Office of Public School Construction (Written Testimony)
       
    2. Bruce Hancock, former Assistant Executive Officer, State Allocation Board (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Expert Perspectives 

    1. Christopher Ansell, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley (Written Testimony)
      ​​​​​​​

    Public Comments

    Public Notice

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    May 10, 2007

    For Additional Information Contact:
    Stuart Drown, Executive Director
    (916) 445-2125

    Notice of Meetings

    On Thursday, May 24, 2007, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on the governance structure of California’s State Allocation Board. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento. The Commission will examine the board’s governance structure, composition and mode of operation. A complete agenda is on the reverse.

    There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.

    Also, the Career Technical Education Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a site visit of Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, from 9 a.m. until noon. The school is located at 451 McClatchy Way in Sacramento.

    The Career Technical Education Advisory Committee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, from 1:30 until 4:30 p.m. at the University of Southern California Sacramento Center located at 1800 I Street, Sacramento. The advisory committee will discuss career technical education programs in California.

    All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, May 17, 2007. Commission hearings can be viewed via Webcast within a week after the hearing date on the California Channel Web site, www.calchannel.com.