SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the hiring of Kathleen Moore as Director of the California Department of Education's (CDE) School Facilities Planning Division.

Moore replaces Duwayne Brooks, who retired in June. She has worked for the past 15 years as the director of planning and development at the Elk Grove Unified School District. Moore also has extensive experience in forming department and legislative policy that helped local school districts meet the facilities needs for their communities.

"In the next five years, California will have to build more classrooms and renovate more existing school facilities in order to meet an increasing student population," said O'Connell. "Kathleen Moore brings a wealth of experience to her new job that will help us meet those needs, so our students will receive a world-class education."

The California Department of Finance projects the student population will grow by 167,516, bringing the total to 6.4 million by 2008-09. In order to meet the needs of these students, the Office of Public School Construction projects the state will need to build 19 new classrooms and renovate 23 classrooms each day over the next five years.

Moore is uniquely qualified for her new job. She has obtained more than $320 million in state funds to build 27 schools and modernize 22 campuses in Elk Grove. She also chaired the Coalition for Adequate School Housing organization that helped pass Proposition 47, the largest school bond in California history. Moore is currently working toward a master's degree in public administration at the University of San Francisco. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1983 from the University of California at Berkeley.

"I am very committed to providing students with learning environments that are safe, secure, and well-equipped," said Moore. "I want to work toward continuing and improving the legacy that the California Department of Education has created with assisting local school districts to select safe school sites."

The School Facilities Planning Division assists school districts and their communities in creating learning environments that are well planned, safe, clean, and up-to-date for kindergarten through grade twelve. The Division oversees class size reduction, multi-track year round education, qualified zone academic bonds, school facilities, and school transportation. For more information about school facilities, please visit the California Department of Education Web site at School Facility - Facilities.