Each school district which desires an apportionment shall submit through its governing board to the board an application therefor in the form and number of copies as the board shall prescribe. Each copy of the application shall be accompanied by a statement of the estimated cost of the project certified by an architect or structural engineer, and by layout plans showing the entire construction project for which the district desires an apportionment.

Estimates of costs for new construction or equipment appearing in an application shall not exceed typical current costs of comparable new construction or equipment by school districts in the same area not receiving an apportionment under this chapter, as determined by the Director of General Services, or if there has been no new construction by school districts in the area, the estimates of costs shall not exceed the reasonable current cost of similar construction or equipment in the area as determined by the Director of General Services.

A school district may at any time file an application or amend or supplement an application. Upon receipt of any application, the Director of General Services shall as promptly as possible prepare a report and recommendation with respect to the application after having received recommendations from the director in respect to any matter which is subject to the jurisdiction or approval of the director or State Department of Education. The board shall, subject to the provisions of this chapter, approve, in whole or in part, or reject each application referred to it by the Director of General Services. If the board approves of the application, either in whole or in part, it shall, by a resolution adopted by it, apportion to the district from the Urban School Construction Aid Fund the amount applied for, or a portion thereof as the board may determine appropriate. However, it may order that the apportionment or any part thereof shall be paid in progressive installments at times and under conditions as it may then prescribe.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 277, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997. Operative January 1, 1998.)