The march to close and then sell off elementary schools in Oceanside has been compared to the game of musical chairs. Parents with “Save Our Schools” signs are hoping their on-site protests will keep their neighborhood school from being the next school sold off to the highest bidder.
The Oceanside Unified School District board of trustees will vote November 2 to approve one of two plans. Each includes putting at least one school into what the district calls “asset management,” which means it would no longer serve as a traditional classroom site and may be sold off to the highest bidder, possibly a developer. The sale would impact other schools which would be forced to absorb the displaced students.
One plan has Ditmar Elementary near Coast Highway to go off the classroom grid. Its students would be moved to Del Rio Elementary on the other side of town. Built in 1946, Ditmar is one of Oceanside’s three oldest elementary schools along with Mission and South Oceanside Elementary. Ditmar stopped being used as a traditional elementary school in 2008 and is now called Surfside Educational Academy hosting some 600 continuation and “independent study” students. Del Rio Elementary students would then be directed to join existing students at Libby Elementary under this plan.
 

The Fort Worth Independent School District is asking voters to approve a historic $1.49 billion bond package aimed at making improvements to existing schools and facilities and to fund some new construction. But what will the funds really do?
Most of the money in the bonds go toward improvements and renovations to existing school campuses. Three new elementary schools are also planned.

While these bonds would focus primarily on middle and elementary schools, $100 million would go toward new high school stadiums.

Here are the propositions you'll see on your ballot:

Proposition A
This bond is the largest and would provide more than $1.2 billion for the construction, renovation and equipping of school buildings in the district. That would include secured front vestibules, refitted science labs and removal of portable buildings. This includes upgrades to middle schools, as well as the construction of three new elementary schools.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The Asheville City Board of Education discussed growing maintenance needs and open positions at a special called work session Monday night as board members continued to look for solutions to ongoing budget issues.
A presentation from ACS staff estimated $50 million in maintenance needs. The presentation had the breakdown of maintenance issues school by school, including HVAC, stairwell and roof repairs. Not all need to be addressed immediately, but they are needed repairs.
“This isn’t something that just happened last year or overnight or with this current superintendent. These are things that have been happening for years and we just did not address them and we’re having to address them now,” board chairman James Carter said.
Board members also learned of 60 vacancies in the Asheville City Schools system. That number does not include 29 open bus driver positions.
“With the shortage of staff, we are also experiencing a large number of employee resignations at the same time, which is a perfect storm,” Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Mark Dickerson said.
 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State education leaders are revealing more details in a report focused on addressing structural problems at Lincoln County Schools.
Members of the state Board of Education approved the latest Special Circumstance Review of the school system conducted from Aug. 30-Sept. 3.
The team spent the past several months focusing on the county’s facilities and reported on 14 district-wide findings and 19 district-wide corrective actions. Those findings included problems with HVAC units.
“Multiple facilities have HVAC equipment that is operating past the equipment’s expected life span, about 12-15 years. There are some faculty concerns with heat or cooling,” Matt Hicks, director of the state Department of Education’s Office of Accountability, told the board last week during a meeting in Charleston.
The items also included restricting access to areas that posed safety risks.
“Most mechanical, electrical and custodial spaces were not properly maintained, had various levels of trash, clutter and unrelated materials that could restrict access to that equipment,” Hicks said.
Some school roofs need to be repaired too, Hicks said.
 

A kindergarten-through-eighth grade school, a northwest area high school and brick-and-mortar classrooms to replace the portable-building-row at Central High are among the projects to be funded by a proposed 12.4-mill property tax extension, Little Rock School District leaders say.
The capital city district has put on the Nov. 2 school election ballot a proposal to continue the levy of 12.4 debt-service mills beyond their current 2033 expiration date as a way to raise $300 million for two new schools and other campus improvements.
Early voting for the Nov. 2 election on the proposed 19-year millage extension can be done Tuesday through Friday this week and on Nov. 1.
This is the third time in four years that the district is asking voters to extend the tax levy to generate building funds, but it is the first time for the request since the district left state control and has a locally elected School Board.
The proposed extended levy of the 12.4 mills will not result in an increase in annual school taxes now paid by property owners, but the extension would mean that the taxes will have to be paid for more years.
If voters approve, the district would issue $417,825,000 in bonds, the money from which would be used to pay off existing debt at a possibly lower interest rate plus generate $300 million to be used for construction, additions and renovations in the 21,000-student district where the average age of schools tops 60 years.
The extended 12.4 debt-service mills — part of the district’s overall 46.4-mill tax rate — will enable the district to pay off the bonds.
 

The amount of money needed to pay for maintenance projects in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is more than three times what it cost to run the district last school year. Excluding the amount of money the district spent on salaries and benefits for staff, it was about 12 times more. The cost of inaction is not insignificant.

A multimillion dollar problem

About $420 million worth of maintenance is needed at Kenai Peninsula Borough School District buildings, but Director of Planning and Operations Kevin Lyon will settle for focusing people’s attention on the roughly $166 million worth of “critical” needs.

To put that in perspective, the school district’s entire operating budget for fiscal year 2022 was about $134 million, more than $100 million of which went to paying teacher salaries and benefits.

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Leaky roofs at Mobile County public schools have drawn complaints from parents, but help is on the way.

Parents at Causey Middle School and Denton Magnet School last month told FOX10 News that they were upset that it has taken so long for the school system to repair hurricane damage.

At a work session Wednesday, Superintendent Chresal Threadgill outlined plans to sign contracts to repair the roofs of both schools. He said the school system chose the lowest bidder, Double AA Construction, for $839,200.

Threadgill said Roofing Solutions was the low bidder for Denton Magnet School of Technology, at $598,844.

(Sidney) -- Sidney school officials are hoping work on its long-running construction projects will be wrapped up by Christmas.

But, continuing delays in shipping construction supplies is preventing the setting of a firm completion date. Sidney School Superintendent Tim Hood updated the Sidney School Board on construction at the elementary and junior-senior high school buildings during this week's meeting. Hood tells KMA News work at the elementary facility includes final punchlist items, including painting.

"We're working on punchlist items right now," said Hood. "We have ordered the flooring--hopefully that will get here this month. When we had the asbestos removal, we were not anticipating it, so we had to order new flooring on that, and in 10 classrooms. We're hoping that will be here by the end of the month."

MCDONALD COUNTY, Mo. — The finishing touches have been placed on a multi building improvement plan for an area school system

A number of buildings that house students in the McDonald County R-1 School District received maintenance attention in recent months. Ken Schutten, the media communications specialist for the district says $2.8 million was spent to repair some existing roofs, place new roofs, HVAC systems and awnings at a number of facilities including the high school, Southwest City, Noel and Anderson.

“Maintenance is so key in some of these buildings, as they get older, it’s very important to take care of what you’ve already have and that’s one of the things we did this past summer,” said Ken Schutten, McDonald Co. Schools Media Communications Specialist.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction welcomed U.S. Department of Education staff to Raleigh today, kicking off its annual Green Strides Tour, which this year spotlights North Carolina schools. The three-day visit in North Carolina honors past and present recipients of the Green Ribbon Award, which recognizes schools for their efforts to reduce environmental impact, improve health and wellness and promote effective sustainability education.

Earlier this year, four North Carolina honorees were recognized with this award. NCDPI and USED staff visited three schools in Raleigh today in celebration of the 2021 District Sustainability Award received by the Wake County Public School System.  

Following a meet and greet at the North Carolina Education Building, staff traveled to Abbotts Creek Elementary School, led by Principal Paula Trantham, to visit the 2019 Green Ribbon Awardee. U.S Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt and Wake Superintendent Cathy Moore participated in a student-led tour at Abbotts Creek. 

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) – The Guilford County Schools Board of Education has requested a $1.7 billion school construction bond referendum be placed on the March 8, 2021 primary election ballot. 
On Tuesday, the board passed a bond referendum request resolution in a seven-to-two vote. It makes the formal request to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and must be approved before being placed on next year’s ballot.  
According to the district’s facilities master plan, it would fund 19 rebuilds, 12 renovations, three new construction projects and provide numerous safety upgrades, technology and deferred maintenance repairs at all other schools.
School officials expressed there is currently not enough money to address a growing list of infrastructure needs, some that are decades old. 

Voters in the College Station school district will find four bond propositions on their ballot, all making up an $83.1 million bond proposal to address needed renovations, maintenance, upgrades, safety and security and technology throughout the district.
Unlike the previous four bonds voters have approved in 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015, this bond does not include a new school campus.
“What this does is provide us the opportunity to kind of go back and address some of our older facilities,” College Station Superintendent Mike Martindale said. “While we were in the process of building new schools so quickly over, well for a span there we did five (schools) in five years, so this lets us go back and address some of our older schools with some renovations and some maintenance things that have probably been lingering, but we haven’t gotten to because we’ve been managing the growth.”
Martindale emphasized this bond also will be done without increasing the current tax rate. The ballot will have language stating it is a tax increase. This is due to property value growth, but the tax rate will not change.
State law requires the bond proposal be separated into four votes because personal technology devices, stadiums with a capacity larger than 1,000 people and natatoriums must be voted on separate from the rest of the bond.
 

The school infrastructure crisis in Virginia is well-documented and longstanding. The most recent data provided by VDOE shows that the total cost to replace schools that are at least 50 years old, would carry a price tag of more than $25 billion.

Unfortunately, school divisions that serve high poverty communities are disproportionally represented in this data set. Furthermore, high poverty communities often have fewer local resources to address the issue as it is difficult, if not impossible, to increase local taxes on families who struggle to pay rent and receive free or reduced priced lunches. Funding streams and policy options exist in Virginia to begin addressing these issues. Resources are not the issue, it’s political will that’s in question.

A new study put out by the National Council on School Facilities and the 21st Century School Fund shows that the issue of crumbling schools is a nationwide problem. Unfortunately, the same report declares that Virginia is one of the worst states in the nation regarding state contribution to school infrastructure. The national average for state contribution for school capital expense and debt service in FY2009-2019 is 22%. Virginia does not come close to this average contribution while other states contribute over 50% of the expense.

Lafourche officials estimate it will cost $97 million to repair damage Hurricane Ida inflicted on the parish's public schools.
And that's "if everything goes well," Superintendent Jarod Martin told the School Board during a meeting Wednesday evening. 
In an interview Thursday, Martin said insurance will cover $20 million and the rest will be a FEMA claim, which he expressed will be "an extraordinarily long and painstaking process."
More:Terrebonne and Lafourche residents received $147 million from FEMA for Ida recovery so far
"You don't submit one worksheet, you have to submit one worksheet for every building, not campus, (but) building," he said.
Permanent repairs could be one to two years away, possibly even three to four years, for some buildings because of labor and material shortages, Martin told the board.
In the meantime, millions have already been spent repairing water damage and doing what's needed to get buildings to a state in which children can return.
He said there have been challenges with buildings in the central Lafourche area, which have had temporary roofs installed.
 

The proposed $355 million bond package will pay for the following district facility improvements. The total cost here is offset by $12 million for an estimated insurance settlement for the July 27 fire that destroyed much of G.W. Carver Middle School.
The new schools in the package would be built on their current campuses with existing schools operating until the new facilities are finished.
$157.1 million — New Waco High School. Smaller 370,000 square foot complex would concentrate academic, fine arts, including a new performing arts center, and athletics space in one facility. 2,150-student capacity. Closer to New Road with main entrance facing Colcord Avenue.
Anticipated opening: First phase, August 2024 with final phase December 2025.
$73.2 million — New G.W. Carver Middle School. At 184,000 square feet, new building is larger than existing Indian Spring Middle School and former Carver Middle School. 1,060-student capacity.
Anticipated opening: August 2023.
 

To the surprise of no one who’s doing any building these days, the Moore County Board of Education may find itself needing to recalibrate its construction spending to absorb recent price spikes for everything from labor to supplies.

Earlier this year, the school board approved an extensive list of construction work over the next few years using money from several funds, including the sale of retired school campuses, the district’s regular lottery and local capital funding, and federal COVID-19 relief funds.

The list totals about 45 projects, including new high school running tracks, roof replacements and utilities upgrades around the district. Those projects were compiled, in part, based on the amount of funding coming available over the next few years.

But the school board learned this past week that those initial cost estimates stand to increase significantly. John Birath, Moore County Schools’ director for operations, said that worker shortages and increases in the price of materials stand to add a projected total of $2 million to the cost of projects that the school board had hoped to pay using pandemic relief and local capital funding.

Based on progress so far with the first few projects approved this past spring, Birath estimated that future projects could run between five and 30 percent over the district’s initial cost estimates.

School board member Matthew Alexander said at a hearing on Buena Vista Horace Mann’s building maintenance Friday that he would propose spending $55 million to address issues that have been responsible for a litany of safety issues this year including a gas leak, a student getting an electrical shock and another tripping on a crack and sustaining an injury that needed 12 stitches.  
Supervisor Hillary Ronen called Friday’s hearing in front of the the Board of Supervisors committee on Youth, Young Adults and Families to investigate the safety and conditions at this Mission District K-8 school.
“This school means everything to everyone, but all the things that have been happening lately … It’s like we’re risking our lives for a war we can’t win,” said one fourth grader during the hearing. “We want funds because part of our school is falling apart. It just doesn’t feel safe anymore.”
Alexander said he will ask the school board to approve a transfer of $55 million in bond money from other allocated projects to Buena Vista’s renovations. This will amend the board’s recommendation, which supposedly promises $15 million, and will officially be released Friday, he said. 
“For me it’s phasing and priorities,” Alexander told Mission Local, whose reporter visited the school following the gas leak on Aug. 27. “We need to make sure that our existing schools are safe and healthy before we start building new schools.” 
 

Sandwich school officials may look to taxpayers for roughly $17.5 million to fund a long list of capital projects within the district.

About 20 items are listed on a draft capital projects list provided by the district, including a new roof for Sandwich High School and new boilers at both elementary schools.

Additionally, the district has included the renovation of the existing Human Services Building into the district’s new central offices, so they can be moved out of the former Henry T. Wing School, which is slated to be turned into senior housing.

The list also indicates a need for new flooring throughout the district, as well as renovation to the portable classrooms at both elementary schools.

Replacement of the boilers is listed as a priority for all three school buildings.

The possibility remains that some of the funding for those projects could be secured through the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The boilers at the elementary schools are approaching end-of-life, being about 30 years old.

School advocates are fighting for a voice in President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act.

The U.S. Senate is actively debating the $3.5 trillion proposal, which would vastly expand the nation’s social safety net and combat climate change.

Advocates in Pennsylvania are fighting to include a provision that would invest in school infrastructure. Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03) proposed a plan that would allow districts to qualify for tax credits when revamping buildings over 50 years old.

Evans visited South Philadelphias’ Academy at Palumbo High School with Superintendent William Hite Friday to discuss how the bill would impact the commonwealth.

“Nothing is more essential than our schools,” said Evans, “if we’re talking about building a growth economy, we must build facilities that are prepared for our young people and our teachers.”

The average age of district school buildings is 75 years old and nearly half would be eligible under the plan, said Evans.

In Pennsylvania, schools average 57 years old, which is almost a decade older than the national average, said Hite.

“I’m for roads, I’m for bridges, I’m for all that,” said Evans, “but when you talk about the human safety net, what more human safety net can it be than a school’s facility?”

Charlottesville city leaders are preparing to dig deep in the city’s budget — and raise local taxes — in order to build a new $75 million middle school within the next five years.

The City Council this week gave the green light for the school division to finalize its plans for the new, state-of-the-art facility at Buford Middle School.

“This is an extremely expensive project,” Councilor Michael Payne said at Monday night’s council meeting, minutes before the council voted unanimously to set the project budget at $75 million. “There is still a lot of work to figure out how to make it happen, and I think we’re just going to have to take a really honest, clear-eyed look at our budget as part of being committed to make this happen.”

Monday’s vote does not commit the city to spending the money — or building the school. It simply directs an architect to create detailed plans for how the new facility will look and set a construction schedule.

Once those plans are finished, the firm will return to the council in March seeking final approval. That is when the council will decide if the project will go ahead.

“There is not a request for allocation of public funds tonight, but setting a budget,” said Wyck Knox, an architect at VMDO Architects, the Charlottesville-based firm hired by the city to design the new middle school. VMDO is also a Charlottesville Tomorrow sponsor. That “is incredibly important so that we have the parameters to design to.”