Board approves 2007-09 Capital Improvement Program
May 17, 2006 - A capital improvement program that seeks to ease crowding in schools and provide classrooms for thousands of additional children moving into Wake County by 2010 was approved by the Board of Education last night.
The $1.056 billion school construction plan will build 11 new elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools. Additional capacity is created by converting some 20 to 25 traditional calendar elementary schools to multi-track year-round, adding ninth-grade centers for five high schools and adding 2,000 seats at middle schools by adding mobile units or converting traditional calendar middle schools to the multi- track year-round calendar. The plan will provide major renovation projects at East Millbrook Middle, Lynn Road Elementary, Aversboro Elementary, Martin Middle, East Wake High, Lacy Elementary, Root Elementary, Poe Elementary, Wilburn Elementary, Bugg Elementary Smith Elementary, Cary High and Enloe High, and minor projects such as roofing, boiler and carpet replacement at dozens of existing schools.
Board of Education chair Patti Head said the board listened to staff, parents, teachers and the community.
"We believe this plan is responsive to the most critical needs for renovations and capacity," said Head. "Families wanting year round now will have increased options; families who prefer traditional calendars will have options; teachers will have options and most importantly, all of this has been done and is being requested to not compromise academic excellence."
County faces rapid growth
Wake County has become the fastest growing county in North Carolina, adding 22,000 people annually. The state demographer estimates that by 2015, the population will hit nearly 982,000 people. WCPSS is expected to gain 7,000 new students next year, with estimates showing WCPSS gaining 40,000 students in the next five years and 72,000 by 2015.
The schools system's efforts to provide space for a growing student population have resulted in a substantial increase in temporary housing. WCPSS already has more than 1,000 temporary classrooms (with another 100 coming soon) and three modular "early start" campuses. Other strategies for adding classroom seats have included building new schools, opening ninth-grade centers, adapting existing buildings for schools, and gaining seats through the expansion of the multi-track year-round calendar. Additional funding for school construction and alternative funding options, such as public-private partnerships, are priorities on the Board of Education's Legislative Agenda.
Board works to meet student space needs
The board has been working for months in discussion of various phases of the capital improvement program. The board agreed to build larger schools, reduce some classroom spaces and increase use of multi-track, year-round calendar schools. Working with school administrators, the board analyzed and identified critical renovation needs for health and safety issues and addressed the needs of some of the school system's schools that have not been renovated in over 40 years.
"We worked to reduce costs and bring the public a bond package that allows us to address our critical needs for seating for the next three years, while taking into account that our 10-year plan with our continuous growth will require additional bond packages in the future" said Head.
The board's plan will convert enough elementary schools to the multi-track, year-round calendar to accommodate an additional 3,000 students with the understanding that the school system will make every effort to accommodate families for which the year-round calendar proves a hardship.
In June, the board will consider year-round policy issues, discuss ways to identify schools to be designated as year-round, and the timeline for conversion.
Converting schools to a multi-track year-round calendar allows a school to handle about 25 percent more students. Students are placed on one of four tracks with three tracks in session while one is on break. School administrators will work to identify the schools that can be most efficiently used and make year-round space available across the county.
The county commissioners will now make decisions on funding the school construction plan. Part of the funding for the plan will likely include general obligation bonds. Commissioners are likely to seek permission to sell bonds in a referendum November 7. If the referendum is not approved by voters, the school system would be faced with the possibility of needing to convert most elementary and middle schools to a multi track, year-round calendar and using split shifts at high schools; and it is likely that the county commissioners would issue certificates of participation to provide funding for high priority projects.
2007-09 Capital Improvement Program
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