Placer County Office of Education and William Jessup spent Millions- why?
When millions in education dollars go to buy land instead of improving schools
Clover Valley, a stretch of oak woodland and seasonal creeks in Rocklin, has been called a “once-in-a-lifetime” conservation win. This April, the 402-acre property was permanently protected through a conservation easement coordinated by Placer Land Trust and William Jessup University.
It’s a feel-good story — if you ignore the price tag and where a lot of that money came from.
The Heart of the Issue
In March 2025, the Placer County Office of Education (PCOE) approved $2.37 million in school funds for the Clover Valley easement. That’s right — money that could have gone to classrooms, teachers, or technology upgrades went instead to buy undeveloped land.
Defenders say the property will be used for “outdoor education programs,” but let’s be honest: this is not the same as hiring more teachers, reducing class sizes, replacing outdated textbooks, or expanding special education services.
When our schools are struggling to recruit and retain staff, when parents are fundraising for basics like art supplies, when campuses need safety improvements — why is PCOE writing multi-million-dollar checks for land?
The Long Road to This Deal
Clover Valley’s development fight goes back decades. In the 1990s, the City of Rocklin certified environmental reviews for housing projects in the valley. Developers wanted hundreds of homes; environmentalists wanted protection. The legal battles dragged on, culminating in a 2011 court decision upholding the City’s environmental work.
Nothing was built. The property sat idle until 2022, when preservation advocates gained traction. Placer County pledged $1 million toward a conservation deal, joined by the City of Lincoln and the Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust.
Then came the big push in late 2024 and early 2025. Private foundations kicked in millions. The City of Rocklin donated $2 million. And then PCOE stepped in to “close the gap” — not with spare change, but with $2.37 million of education money.
William Jessup University’s Role
William Jessup University did not write a check toward the easement. Instead, the private Christian university played the role of deal maker and property holder:
- Negotiated a below-market sale price for the land, making the deal financially possible.
- Acted as the buyer to secure the property while Placer Land Trust and funding partners assembled the money.
- Did not contribute cash from its own budget — its contribution was strategic and organizational, not financial.
Jessup’s involvement was pivotal in moving the project forward, but the millions came from public agencies, private donors, and foundations — not the university’s coffers.
Opportunity Costs No One Wants to Talk About
PCOE’s press release framed this as an investment in student learning, but that’s a stretch. Outdoor field trips are valuable, sure — but they’re not a core academic need.
The $2.37 million could have:
- Funded ~25 new teacher positions for a year.
- Purchased thousands of Chromebooks or iPads for underserved students.
- Upgraded aging classrooms.
- Expanded after-school tutoring and career technical education programs.
Instead, that money is now tied up in land ownership. You can’t sell the property later without undoing the entire “permanent protection” narrative.
Whose Job Is It to Buy Land?
Preserving open space is a worthy goal — but should school agencies be land buyers? That’s typically the job of land trusts, cities, counties, and private donors.
When education dollars are finite (and they always are), we have to ask hard questions about priorities. If PCOE has millions sitting in accounts for “special projects,” maybe the real issue is that state and county education budgets have grown so bloated in certain areas that money can be shifted to real estate instead of classrooms.
The Feel-Good Story Masks a Serious Problem
Clover Valley is now off the table for developers, which thrills environmentalists and local history buffs. But for parents and taxpayers, it should raise an uncomfortable question: Are our education leaders so flush with cash that they can act like a real estate trust?
Meanwhile, the real needs — safer schools, better teacher pay, up-to-date learning materials — still rely on bonds, parcel taxes, and parent fundraising.
If PCOE and other education agencies want to be taken seriously as stewards of public funds, they should explain why spending millions on land beats investing in the students they’re meant to serve. Until then, Clover Valley’s “victory” will remain, for many of us, a reminder of misplaced priorities.
The Money Trail
Here’s who paid what to make Clover Valley permanently off-limits to development:
| Funding Source | Amount | Date/Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placer County Office of Education (PCOE) | $2,370,000 | Mar 13, 2025 | Final gap funding for conservation easement |
| City of Rocklin | $2,000,000 | Feb 25, 2025 | Donation to Placer Land Trust |
| Placer County | $1,000,000 | Jun 14, 2022 | County contribution toward easement |
| City of Lincoln | $1,000,000 | 2022 | Included in initial down payment |
| Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust | $250,000 | 2022 | Part of early funding package |
| Private family foundation | $3,000,000 | Dec 2024 | Major private gift |
| Private foundation (unspecified) | $1,000,000 | Jan 2025 | Additional private grant |
| Individual donors (community) | $1,300,000+ | By Apr 2025 | Part of private total |
| Sky View Foundation | Not specified | 2024–2025 | Named partner; amount not public |
| William Jessup University | $0 | 2022–2025 | Negotiated deal, bought property, no cash contribution |
If you see this as a challenge – you should be heard.
Please contact the Placer Office Of Education:
| Mailing Address | 1400 West Stanford Ranch Rd.Rocklin, CA 95765-3750 |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | (530) 889-8020 |