In one of California's fastest-growing counties , the Western Placer Unified School District is racing to keep up with a surge in students and the school year hasn't even started yet.

Just six days before the first day of class, district leaders are preparing to welcome a student population that's grown by 129% over the last 25 years. In 2000, Western Placer had about 3,500 students. Today, enrollment is closer to 8,000 and space is running out.

"Everywhere you turn in Lincoln, there is a new house going up and with new homes come new students," Superintendent Kerry Callahan said. "We're nearing capacity in our existing schools."

The growth is fueled by the county's housing boom, but adding classrooms isn't easy. California schools typically rely on a mix of state and local dollars,

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