As a result of the ongoing California budget crisis, the state is withholding from Simi Valley Unified School District $15 million in funding meant for construction projects.

"The state has stopped the flow of money for all modernization," said Lowell Schultze, associate superintendent of business and facilities. "Until the state budget is cleared, that money's going to remain on hold."

The state generally provides 60 percent funding for modernization projects, which usually covers construction, and the district pays for the other 40 percent.

Nevertheless, modernization work continues at several schools in the district due to cash reserves from the C4 bond measure passed by voters in 2004 and a buyerfriendly construction market.

"We can continue our projects because we have funds in the bank. A lot of school districts don't," said Pedro Avila, director of facilities and planning. "The construction market is giving us good bids for our projects. We're not missing out on it. . . . We have enough savings from previous projects that we can bring that surplus into future projects."

The state is supposed to provide $45 million of the $145million C4 bond. So far, California has given the district $22 million, Avila said.

Simi Valley Unified has 22 bond projects remaining, which are all supposed to be completed in the next three years.

"We will have to readjust our schedule and some of our budgets to make sure all schools see a project and nobody gets shortchanged if the state budget does not improve," Avila said.

The district doesn't want to miss out on any projects because construction companies are hungry for work, Avila said. Although the price of materials remains high, labor costs have gone down. A relatively dry winter has also sped up several projects.

The biggest hindrance in completing projects is waiting for approval from the Division of the State Architect.

Avila said the district is being "held hostage," waiting nine to 15 months for approval on projects that once took six to nine months to okay.

The facilities and planning director would like to see the planned demolition, modernization and construction of new modular buildings at Apollo High School move forward. The district hopes to bid and begin the project's construction this summer.

Things could be worse for Simi Valley Unified, Avila said.

"There's bad news for a lot of school districts, especially school districts that have just passed new bonds," Avila said. "I think we're very fortunate to be in a position where we have enough surplus from previous projects and enough bond funds to continue going forward with our projects."

Ongoing projects include:

•Santa Susana High School's auditorium is in its early stages of construction.

•Foundation has been poured for the bleachers at Simi Valley High.

•Big Springs Elementary is being modernized with a fire alarm system, new electrical power and data technology, and an upgrade of restroom facilities to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

•Township and Sycamore elementary schools are also being modernized. Township's library is being expanded, and its administration building expansion was recently completed.

•Atherwood Elementary is ahead of schedule in its modernization project for a new multipurpose room, administration building, library and fiveclassroom building.