Does WCPSS build multi-story schools?
CategoriesDepartment |
A: WCPSS has approximately 60 multi-story schools, with over 20 of those at the elementary school level. Building multi-story schools require less land, but they tend to cost more than single-story schools. Multi-story schools require more square footage to be built to provide multiple stair towers, an elevator, and face more stringent building code requirements. Although a multi-story school requires less land, that savings is offset by the costs of the additional square footage.
For example, state building code requires that all pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first-grade students be housed on the ground floor and have direct exits to the outdoors from all spaces they use, including classrooms, media centers, multi-purpose rooms and cafeterias. Second-graders may not be housed more than one story above the ground floor.