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NCEF News summarizes and provides links to news stories about educational facilities nationwide. Links to older articles may no longer be active.
Alaska Senators Approve Plan to Help Rural and Urban School Construction
Christopher Eshleman ,
Fairbanks Daily News
March 31, 2010 ALASKA: The state Senate approved a major plan to help build schools in rural, unincorporated communities and extend construction aid for elementary, middle and high schools in urban areas. The measure explicitly cites a 1997 court order that found state laws fail to give villages and rural communities "adequate or equitable funding" for school construction and repair. The bill outlines an annual grant program for regional education areas. Grants would be formula driven and based on the amount of education money going to urban areas. Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, said lawmakers could need to tweak the program over the coming two weeks to cover all of rural Alaska, much of which lacks the organized local government structure to borrow for school projects. But he said the current draft covers the bulk of the state. The measure would also extend to perpetuity a state promise to subsidize school construction in Fairbanks, Anchorage and urban areas. The Legislature has traditionally reviewed and reauthorized the three-decade-old promise, where the state picks up 70 percent of the tab for community-level school-construction loans, every few years. The Senate unanimously approved the plan hours after the measure emerged during a Finance Committee meeting this morning. The bill, Senate Bill 237, now goes to the House for review. Guam Schools To Get $44.6 Million Stimulus Funds to Fix, Upgrade Campuses
Brett Kelman,
Pacific Daily News
March 30, 2010 GUAM: Widespread renovations paid for with federal stimulus funds will do more just than make public schools look better, said Guam Department of Education Superintendent Nerissa Bretania Underwood. This money will improve the learning environment offered to public school students and revive opportunities that some schools have lost to time, deterioration and budget constraints, she said. "We will actually have a more balanced curriculum as a result of this," Underwood said yesterday. "We will have better science labs and gyms. ... As a whole, we will have facilities that are more conducive to teaching and learning -- much more improved." Of the $75 million of State Fiscal Stabilization Funding headed to Guam DOE, about $44.6 million is expected to be spent to renovate and repair public school facilities, according to GovGuam's application to the U.S. Department of Education. About $30 million of that money was awarded on Friday and about $15 million more will most likely become available this fall. Seventeen projects have been planned at almost every school -- like structural repairs, electrical upgrades and the installation of new air conditioners -- although the scope and cost at each campus isn't the same. Most middle and high schools will also receive renovations to their physical education facilities. Underwood said funds for this cause are often siphoned away when budgets get tight, but stimulus funds provide an opportunity to finally make these overdue improvements. High schools will also receive funding to renovate the parking lots they offer students and faculty, according to the application. Green Schools Designed to Catch Students’ Eyes
Nathalie Weinstein ,
Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon
March 30, 2010 OREGON: Students in the past may not have given much thought to how much energy their schools consume. But perhaps pupils will ask more questions when they see what makes their schools greener. More architects nowadays are choosing to open students’ eyes to green design by designing new school buildings with solar arrays, storm-water drainage systems and other sustainable building features exposed intentionally. According to Scott Rose, a principal with DLR Group working on the new Petersen Elementary School in Scappoose, youths have minds like sponges, and will benefit from being able to see green building systems in action. “If nothing else, we want to use this building as a teaching tool,” Rose said. “If they can look at an exposed cistern with color-coded pipe showing how the rainwater is being recycled into the bathrooms, they will make the connections.” Several studies performed in the last decade have lauded sustainable schools for improving the performance of teachers and students alike because of better lighting and air quality. However, data is still being collected on how learning in a high-performance school affects students’ concepts of sustainability. John Weekes, a Dull Olson Weekes Architects principal, designed exposed systems for the new Valley View Middle School in Snohomish, Wash. He said the visible systems will encourage students to think more critically about their surroundings. All of Valley View’s mechanical equipment, boilers and water-reuse systems will be exposed or placed behind glass walls for observation. “Unless you can see it and touch it, you don’t understand how it works,” Weekes said. “Seventy percent of students are visual. Having these systems exposed shows there is more to a building than the rooms they happen to occupy. Then you can apply those lessons to math, science and physics in their curriculum.” That is what science teacher Jason Hieggeoke has been doing at Da Vinci Arts Middle School. He has used a water garden, which drains storm water, as a living laboratory. “There aren’t many special places for kids in schools, and this is one of them,” Hieggeoke said. “We do water quality testing and look for invertebrates. We care for the garden so they learn about conservation. Sometimes they will see the pipes and ask where they are coming from, which gives me the opportunity to explain the storm-water system to them.” According to Nancy Boyd, resource conservation director for Portland Public Schools, students at Da Vinci Arts Middle School also have been engaged by a net-zero music room constructed there last year. In the room, which features a solar system donated by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, kids can visit an interactive kiosk to track how the photovoltaic panels power the building. “The students are definitely paying attention to the data,” Boyd said. “We’d love to know if there are other things we could do (with facilities) to help integrate that into the curriculum.” For Paul Peterson, superintendent of the Scappoose School District 1J, Petersen Elementary School’s exposed building systems present an opportunity to teach not only about sustainability, but also about the economics of operating a building. “We never set out to make a ‘green’ building but to make decisions that would provide a reasonable payback,” Peterson said. “By seeing interactive screens with energy readouts saying how many trees haven’t been cut and how many tons of coal haven’t been burned, the kids can see what that means to the economics of the school.” Introducing a school’s sustainable building functions into classes such as math and science is something that Rose is working on with teachers at Petersen Elementary. “Teachers were intrigued by the idea, but they hadn’t done anything like that previously,” Rose said. “If it’s not easy to implement, they won’t do it.” And sometimes, the best sustainability teachers turn out to be the kids themselves. There are 15 to 20 Da Vinci students who are trained as ‘ambassadors’ for the net-zero building. The kids know the systems inside and out and are tasked with showing off the building to visitors, including a recent delegation of Fulbright scholars from Japan. “The kids are extraordinarily aware of what the building means to the future of school construction,” said Eric Bergmann, Da Vinci principal. “In terms of that information trickling down into the student body, it’s slow taking roots. A lot of questions are being asked. I think having the kids running the show has had the greatest impact.” Jackson, Mississippi Metro Schools Eligible for Stimulus Bonds
Marquita Brown,
Clarion Ledger
March 29, 2010 MISSISSIPPI: At least three metro-Jackson school districts will be in line for a share of $134 million in federal bonds that can be used for school improvements and construction. The bonds amount to interest-free loans. The money must be repaid. The U.S. departments of Education and Treasury recently announced $11 billion for the second round of Qualified School Construction Bonds. More than $134 million in bonds has been allocated to Mississippi this year. Last year, it was $132 million. Clinton and Canton district officials each requested $3 million in federal Qualified School Construction Bonds last year but were not allocated any bonds and automatically are in the running for this next round. The first priority will be school districts that applied last year but did not receive an allocation, said Shane McNeill, director of the Office of Healthy Schools at the state Department of Education. At least 33 districts fall into that category, according to the Education Department. Clinton schools' allocation, if approved, would be used for renovations at Clinton Junior High and Sumner Hill Junior High schools, Sandy Halliwell, the district's finance director, said in an e-mail. Jackson Public Schools and Madison County schools, the only metro-area districts to receive bonds last year, would be the last to be considered for funds this year. JPS still has not used all of more than $15.43 million made available to the district last year. JPS was among those chosen for the first round of funding, $4.4 billion, under this program because they have the largest number of 5- to 17-year-olds who qualify for free or reduced lunches, a federal poverty indicator. JPS claimed $7 million last year. That money will be used toward building a school that will combine Barr and Poindexter elementaries, said Michael Thomas, JPS' assistant superintendent for operations. District officials have until December to claim the remaining funds or lose them, Thomas said. "School environments play a critical role in providing opportunities for children to be successful," McNeill said. Cash-strapped school districts can request the bonds for construction, rehabilitation and repair of school buildings or to buy land for school construction. Districts can request between $200,000 and $3 million, which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, McNeill said. Aside from including a plan on how they would use the bonds, applicants must show they could repay the amount. Madison last year received the requested $3 million. The district will use that, along with proceeds from the 2009 bond issue, to renovate Rosa Scott School, said Debbie Jones, finance director for the district. The district is revamping the school's administrative area, adding classrooms and relieving crowding in the cafeteria. "We were very fortunate to get it in the first round of monies that were allocated," Jones said. Vermont Towns, Schools Share Energy Grant Funding from Stimulus
Neal P. Goswami,
Bennington Banner
March 29, 2010 VERMONT: Local towns and schools are set to receive federal funding as part of $5.8 million awarded for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects throughout the state. The Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund Board announced that the Clean Energy Development Fund had awarded the money to 147 schools and municipalities. The funding is part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program and State Energy Program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, widely known as the federal stimulus plan. Several local schools and towns were awarded grant money for energy efficiency retrofitting, including Mount Anthony Union High School, the Wardsboro Central School and the towns of Shaftsbury, Wilmington and Winhall. Mount Anthony Union High School also received a $30,000 lighting grant to install energy efficient lighting in the school’s parking lots. James Marsden, MAU’s director of facilities, said the outdoor project will cost the school about $33,000 to complete, but is estimated to save the district about $4,800 in the first year. The savings will cover the cost in 4.9 years, he said. The school will use the $50,000 grant to replace inside light fixtures, Marsden said. That project is expected to cost a total of $62,500, but will cut electric costs by $20,000 in the first year and take just 2.6 years to pay down in savings, he said. A woodchip boiler recently installed is nearing $1 million in energy savings to the district, according to Marsden. "The savings that we’ve been able to generate in the last four or five years are really bigger than the public realizes," he said. Security Ugrades at Manitowoc, Wisconsin Public Schools; Funded by Stimulus
Allison Wickler,
Herald Times
March 26, 2010 WISCONSIN: Security cameras to monitor school entrances and exits have been installed at all Manitowoc public schools and should be operating in about two months, Jeff Schulz, director of Buildings and Grounds, said. The cameras are one part of a package of safety and security upgrades the district planned to begin this year. The district also will install door access and buzzer systems at each school, move the main offices at Wilson Junior High School and Jackson Elementary School nearer to the main entrances and build a check-in window for visitors at Lincoln High School. Schulz said it's common for schools to have security cameras, and that the district probably is a little behind the trend. The district has been fortunate, he said, that there haven't been many issues with vandalism or break-ins in the past. "People want safe and secure schools," Schulz said. The cameras are for security, not daily surveillance, Schulz said. Not everyone will have access to the footage, he said. "It's not something where someone is monitoring it, watching it all day long," he said. Cameras will store 14 days of footage that either a school's principal or school resource officer can look at if something such as a break-in occurs, Schulz said. After the district installs the buzzer systems, doors will be locked after the school day starts, Schulz said. School office staff will be able to see and talk to people who are outside before letting them into the building, he said. The loan money that will fund a new gym and other renovations at Franklin Elementary School also will fund the safety and security projects. The district received $2 million in interest-free Qualified School Construction bonds through the federal stimulus, and will take out another $3.5 million or $3.6 million in low-interest loans. The cameras probably will come in under cost estimates, Schulz said, because the loan money let the district do all the installations at one time, rather than spreading the project out over several years. The district had started the upgrades by installing cameras at Lincoln several years ago, and put cameras in at Washington after that, he said. Estimates from this past fall for cameras and buzzer systems ranged from $25,000 to $45,000 per school, with the total safety and security upgrades cost pegged at $964,500. Schulz said the architects for the Franklin projects are finishing specs to give to the contractors, and that the costs seem to be on target with estimates from the fall. Construction on the new Franklin gym should begin in April, he said. He said he hopes to present updated costs for the Franklin projects to the school board during the first week in April. Miami-Dade School Gets Energized with Solar Education Station
Hannah Sampson,
Miami Herald
March 26, 2010 FLORIDA: The sun was bright and strong. Clouds, if they happened by, barely cast a shadow before moving on.That was good news for the 18 hungry photovoltaic panels sunbathing Thursday outside Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy in Naranja, the first Miami-Dade school with such a setup from Florida Power & Light. As part of an FPL pilot program, six schools throughout Florida are getting solar-power installations. In Broward, the company is in the process of getting permits to install them at Deerfield Beach Middle School. The panels are expected to generate enough energy to power five classrooms. The school estimates savings between $800 and $1,000 a year. Beyond the break on the power bill, Mandarin Lakes Principal Angie Fleites says the solar station is enriching the educational experience for students at the high-poverty school. Some students live in a homeless shelter; some are children of migrant workers. "It has created eye-opening experiences for them,' she said. ``Having it in their backyard is tremendous." She said they have started using new vocabulary since learning about the solar station earlier in the year, like "photovoltaic." Photovoltaic panels, like the ones at the school, can convert sunlight straight into energy. Boston Borrows for School Construction After Obama Approves Direct Subsidy for QSCBs
Michael McDonald,
Business Week
March 25, 2010 MASSACHUSETTS: Boston, New England’s biggest city, sold $17 million of school construction bonds, a week after President Barack Obama signed a law authorizing a direct federal subsidy for such securities. The bond offering may signal an acceleration of the sale of Qualified School Construction Bonds as borrowers seek to take advantage of 100 percent subsidies from the U.S. Treasury, according to Matt Fabian, managing director at Municipal Market Advisors. The bond program earlier offered investors a 100 percent tax credit on interest paid and found tepid demand, Fabian said. “There is a very limited market for tax-credit bonds,” said Fabian, who is based in Westport, Connecticut. “The limited investor demand is probably most of the issue.” Boston’s sale may be the first since the direct subsidy was authorized, Fabian said. The bonds sold today were competitively bid, with a final maturity of 2026 priced to yield 5.3 percent. The income from the bonds is subject to federal taxes, unlike most municipal bonds, which are tax-exempt. Christopher Loh, a spokesman for Boston Mayor Tom Menino, declined to comment. Fairfax, Virginia Public Schools Expect to Use More Trailers
Holly Hobbs,
Washington Post
March 25, 2010 VIRGINIA: Trailers are a reality at nearly 70 percent of public schools in Fairfax County. Of about 135 schools with trailers, 14 have trailers numbering in the double digits. With enrollment at public schools expected to increase by about 1,700 students in the 2010-11 school year, the number of trailers needed to house those students in crowded schools also could go up, Fairfax County public school officials say. And although trailer use is not ideal, limited funding makes trailers the best option for teachers and students, school administrators say. "Normally to fix capacity issues, you couldn't fix it fast enough," said Wayne F. Pullen, the school system's coordinator for capital projects. Cost constraints and the time needed to obtain building permits make trailers a necessity, he said, adding that permits for trailers can be obtained in three to four weeks, and school construction permits can take up to a year. School officials said that they are not certain how many trailers the system might need to add in the coming school year. Last summer, the system added 100 temporary classrooms using trailers, which at times are grouped in twos and fours to provide more class space. Each trailer costs the system about $10,000 annually, he said, adding that trailers can hold 25 to 30 students, depending on the children's ages. Some parents are not thrilled about the growing use of trailers in public schools. In 2007, the system reported using 518 trailers, meaning that the use of trailers has grown by 38 percent since then. "Obviously, you lose time because the children are moving from indoors to outdoors," said Michele Menapace, president of the Fairfax County Council of PTAs, whose children attended Rose Hill Elementary School and Hayfield Secondary School. "In the winter, they've got to get ready to go. Even something as simple as going to the bathroom becomes a group thing." Even so, for the most part, parents understand the necessity of using trailers, she said. Using trailers has advantages and disadvantages, said David Brazer, a professor of education administration at George Mason University. "Student populations fluctuate, so there may come a time in this region when we ask ourselves, 'Why did we build all these schools?' " he said. Landmark School Construction & Jobs Bill Passes California Legislature; Authorizes use of QSCBs
Staff Writer,
California Chronicle
March 25, 2010 CALIFORNIA: A bill by Senator Loni Hancock (D-Oakland) that opens the door to immediate new school construction jobs passed the Senate on a unanimous vote and was sent to the Governor for signature. It passed the Assembly earlier this month, also unanimously. "This bill will provide innovative financing to create jobs on "shovel-ready" school construction projects throughout the state," Senator Hancock said. Senate Bill 205 authorizes school districts and charter schools to use $773 million of federal stimulus funds to sell local school bonds without offering interest to investors. Instead, investors will be able to claim a valuable federal tax credit when they purchase the bonds. This has never been offered before. "This bill gets the money out on the street so that people can be put to work," Senator Hancock added. "I am so glad that we are able to help create new jobs." The money can be used for construction, repair and rehabilitation of school facilities or for the purchase of land and equipment. "School districts and charter schools will benefit enormously from these bonds because they won´t be forced to take on additional debt, "Senator Hancock stated. "It is important to emphasize that these are federal tax credits that are being offered to investors. There will be no impact whatsoever on the state´s general fund." The funds are formally called Qualified School Construction Bonds and were authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More than $1.3 billion of the bonds were allocated to California, with $582 million of that amount distributed directly to 11 large school districts by the federal government. The demand for the rest of the funds has been so large that the California Department of Education established a lottery to allocate the money. The Department received more than $3.6 billion in requests for the remaining $773 million in available federal funds.
Schools Lift Des Moines-area Energy-efficiency Rating
David Elbert,
DesMointes Register
March 25, 2010 IOWA: The Des Moines school board's effort during the past decade to remodel and make school buildings energy-efficient has paid off with a top 25 ranking for the city on a nationwide list of energy-efficient commercial buildings. Des Moines is tied with two other cities - Philadelphia and Fort Collins, Colo. - for the No. 24 spot with 36 buildings each that have received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star award for efficiency. Unlike the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED awards that mostly target new construction, the Energy Star awards include the nearly 5 million existing commercial buildings in the United States, said EPA spokeswoman Maura Beard. To be recognized, she said, a building must be in the top 25 percent of buildings in its class for energy efficiency.The program is growing in awareness, Beard said, but so far only about 9,500 buildings, including 2,644 schools, have qualified for the award. The honor includes a bronze Energy Star plaque that can be displayed at a building's entrance. Twenty-six of Des Moines' 36 buildings are public schools that were renovated with money from the 1-cent sales tax increase that voters approved in 1999. Most of those buildings were retrofitted with geothermal heating and cooling systems, which school officials have said save at least half a million dollars a year in utility bills. University Funding in England to be Linked to Carbon Reduction
Staff Writer,
CELE Exchange
March 25, 2010 ENGLAND: Capital allocation funding for higher education institutions in England is to be linked to carbon reduction from 2011. The strategy announced in January by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and published jointly by HEFCE, Universities UK and GuildHE, sets ambitious targets for the sector. It expects up to 34% reduction by 2020 and up to 80% by 2050. These targets are set against a 1990 baseline. The report notes that the CO2 output of the HE sector in 1990 was 1 831 MtCO2 (million tonnes of CO2) and for 2006 it was 2 124 MtCO2, for what are known as scope 1 and 2 sources under a classification developed by the World Resources Institute. Under this classification, scope 1 refers to direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the HEI, and scope 2 refers to indirect electricity emissions that are from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the HEI. Other indirect emissions (scope 3), which are a result of activities of the HEI, for example, commuting by staff and students and air travel, rose from 0.717 MtCO2 in 1990 to 1 237 MtCO2 in 2006. These figures do not include the impact of procurement, but the policy document on carbon reduction target and strategy just published by HEFCE notes that including procurement could double the sector’s overall emissions figures. HEFCE will be carrying out work on this in future. Under the strategy, higher education institutions will be required to develop individual carbon reduction strategies, targets and associated carbon management plans. The CO2 emissions related to buildings are a significant factor as both the strategy document and underlying research report suggest. For other countries this piece of work is illustrative of the issues that the higher education sector faces. Some of the challenges facing HEIs when tackling these issues are not only how to make existing buildings more energy efficient, a challenge in itself, but also how to change the behavioural habits of staff and students. As HEIs look to the future, location in relation to staff and students may well be important, as indirect sources of emissions such as commuting by students and staff has a measurable impact. Recent Earthquakes Highlight Importance of Good Design
Gina-Marie Cheeseman,
Triplepundit
March 24, 2010 INTERNATIONAL: Two major earthquakes struck this year: a magnitude 7.0 quake in Haiti and a larger, magnitude was 8.8 quake in Chile. The death toll in Haiti was over 200,000, while the death toll in Chile was over 400. The two countries themselves are different: Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and Chile is a much richer country. Chile is also used to earthquakes while Haiti is not. About every seven years, Chile suffers from a major earthquake. After a 9.5 magnitude earthquake in 1960, the strongest one on record, the Chilean government created a seismic design code for all new buildings. The building codes were revised in 1993. Andre Filiatrault, director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research at the University at Buffalo, told the New York Times: “There is a lot of reinforced concrete in Chile, which is normal in Latin America. The only issue in this, like any earthquakes, are the older buildings and residential construction that might not have been designed according to these codes.” “The country’s building codes and practices have been adapted to respond to this environment, helping to mitigate the level of . . . risk,” said an assessment by Risk Management Solutions of Newark, California. The way buildings were designed in Haiti is a study in contrast. As Cameron Sinclair, executive director of San Francisco based non-profit design group, Architecture for Humanity, said, “In Haiti, most if not all of the buildings have major engineering flaws.” Jonathan Bray, earthquake engineering professor with the University of California, Berkeley, pointed out that “…the buildings and infrastructure in Chile are designed considering earthquake effects – whereas Haiti had no building codes.” Alan Dooley, a Nashville architect who designed a medical clinic in Haiti, contrasted how a building is designed in the U.S. and in Haiti. Dooley said in the U.S. architects would “double the design strength, just to give it a factor of safety.” However, in Haiti “they’d design it to what it would hold” because concrete is expensive so columns and other elements made from it are thin. Peter Haas, executive director of Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group, a nonprofit group working on several projects in Haiti, said concrete blocks are often substandard in Haiti. “When you’re buying blocks at the store you really have no idea of where they’re from,” Haas said. “And all it takes is for the block that was made at home to collapse.” Closing Schools Affects Communities as Well as Kids
Associated Press,
USA Today
March 23, 2010 NATIONAL: In a neighborhood dotted with boarded up homes, trash and gang graffiti, McCoy Elementary has been an oasis. Now that the 94-year-old school is closing, residents are fearful that the neighborhood could become even worse, attracting drug dealers and vandals when the children are gone. McCoy is among the roughly half of Kansas City district schools expected to shut down before class resumes next fall, part of a wave of school closures across the country. Superintendents of struggling districts are winning praise for confronting budget woes by shuttering half-empty and underperforming schools, a move often blocked by local politics in the past. In many cases, the schools have been declining for years, but were never closed because residents and local advocacy groups fought to keep them. Now school leaders have an argument that trumps any parent outrage: The struggling economy makes these schools a luxury that districts can no longer afford. About 6% of districts closed or consolidated schools this year, compared to about 3% in 2008-09, according to a survey conducted by the American Association of School Administrators. About 11% are expected to consider similar moves in 2010-11. Closing schools is an unpopular business. Most have prominent local alumni to battle closures, along with sympathetic teachers, parents and kids to offer heartfelt pleas for survival. Often, many districts put it off even though operating underused buildings soaks up money that could be spent on teachers and other vital resources. Bristol, Connecticut May Build Schools Sooner to Save Money
Steve Collins,
Bristol Press
March 23, 2010 CONNECTICUT: The city may have two new buildings ready for the opening of school in 2012. City finance officials said they are likely to agree to speed up the planned timetable by two or three years in order to take advantage of low short-term interest rates and to avoid the potential of higher overall costs later. The 900-student schools will each house kindergarten to eighth grade classes. They will replace three aging primary schools — Bingham, O’Connell and Greene-Hills — as well as Memorial Boulevard Middle School. The school building committees urged the city to race to construct the schools faster than expected after learning from state officials that if the tab for the new facilities exceeds $105 million, the city may be required to pay the entire excess tab. Construction managers for the two proposed schools estimated that opening them in 2012 would cost $103.9 million, but waiting two more years could add another $11.2 million to the bottom line. As it is, the state has agreed to pay 73.9 percent of the cost of putting up the new buildings, leaving city taxpayers to cover little more than one quarter of the total. The difference for taxpayers is what’s driving the change. Using the short-term financing for a couple of years would mean that taxpayers wouldn’t pay interest directly until the third year, when they would be on the hook for about $1.25 million. After that, the annual cost would be $4.2 million for the next 18 years or so, Klocko said. What that means is that the city could get some of its backlogged projects done in the next two or three years before the school construction payments kick in completely, officials said. Three Closed D.C. Schools Won't Reopen Soon Due to Reduced Revenues and Unanticipated Construction Expenditures
Bill Turque,
Washington Post
March 22, 2010 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's promises to rebuild three D.C. schools that closed in 2008 are likely to remain unfulfilled in the near future, a delay that city officials attribute to reduced revenue because of the economy and unanticipated expenditures on other projects. Rhee and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) roiled neighborhoods across the city when they announced the closure of 23 schools that were underenrolled or in poor physical condition. In three cases, they softened the impact of the deeply unpopular decisions by promising to modernize or rebuild the schools while students were relocated. Since fall 2008, students at Bruce-Monroe Elementary (Ward 1) have attended Park View Elementary, children from Brookland Education Campus (Ward 5) are enrolled at Bunker Hill, and Turner Elementary students (Ward 8) have gone to Green Elementary. Parents in each community were told that new or vastly modernized buildings would be ready within three years. But the school system's $200 million-a-year capital program, which has delivered gleaming new facilities such as Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School (Ward 5) and the Wheatley Education Campus (Ward 5), faces a budget squeeze as tax revenue declines and deficits mount. "Our biggest issue is money," said Rhee, who is scheduled to appear Monday before the D.C. Council. "We don't have as much of it as we did before." Asked whether, in retrospect, she overpromised school communities, she said: "I promised based on what [the financial situation] looked like at the time. I didn't expect the capital budget to take a hammering." Parents unhappy about the unrealized pledges say the situation is made worse by conditions at the schools their children now attend. Despite nearly $1 million in improvements last year to the 94-year-old building now called Bruce-Monroe Elementary School at Park View, broken water pipes and rodent droppings are chronic problems, parents and staff members say. Maintenance records confirm the allegations, showing that pest-control workers were called to the school, at 3560 Warder St. NW, three times in January alone. A Jan. 13 notation on a District work order said: "The rodents are going into the food supply. Immediate action must be taken." "This school is contaminated," said Lynell Granberry, who said her two children who attend Bruce-Monroe at Park View "stay home sick more than ever." Officials acknowledge that the ambitious modernization effort led by school construction czar Allen Y. Lew has been more expensive than expected, costing about $1 billion. Extra work added to two major modernization projects -- including more classrooms at Alice Deal Middle School (Ward 3) and acoustical upgrades to walls and ceilings at the 118-year-old School Without Walls High School (Ward 2) -- sent costs $30 million over projections, according to D.C. records and senior officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the D.C. Council will not be briefed on a revised master facilities plan. Smaller projects also exceeded cost projections. Four elementary schools -- Burroughs (Ward 5), Brent (Ward 6), Tubman (Ward 1) and Ferebee-Hope (Ward 8) -- each went $1 million to $2 million over budget for classroom renovations, officials said. At a council oversight hearing this month, Lew said his initial approach, which involved making immediate improvements to classrooms while deferring other work, might have been a miscalculation. "We learned that when you go into a space, you can't ignore the corridors and the bathrooms and the lobbies and the windows," he said. The construction budget was also stretched by what a senior D.C. official called "unplanned directives" from Fenty's office. They included new playgrounds and athletic fields for two Ward 3 elementary schools, Eaton and Murch, costing a combined $2.7 million. Wheatley is also getting an $8 million recreation center, not in Lew's original spending plans Tech Students Design Green Portable Classroom
Janet Heim,
Herald Mail
March 21, 2010 MARYLAND: Pre-engineering students at Washington County Technical High School have designed an energy-independent portable classroom that, among other green features, would have a wall of grass. The plans, which call for the portable classrooms to have photovoltaic solar panels and geothermal heating, were presented by seniors Keagan Boyce, Cody Case and Deanna Molnar during a March 17 ceremony at the school. Some of the features suggested in the designs include a light shelf, curtain walls, prismatic skylights, floors made of cork or recyclable carpeting, denim insulation made from recycled jeans, fiber cement exterior walls and fiber cement boarding. The exterior would feature a wall covered with grass designed to provide natural insulation and to prevent water runoff from the roof. Rain gardens would be created at the downspouts. Grass on the roof over the vestibule would be used for aesthetic purposes and to collect runoff, said Molnar, 18. The ideas came from research and a field trip to the Ecobuild Conference in Washington, D.C., an annual conference on sustainable building. The plans earned a $10,000 grant from State Farm Insurance, in partnership with SkillsUSA. The first-time grant, which was awarded at last week’s ceremony, was one of 12 awarded for sustainability projects in school systems across the nation. Albuquerque, New Mexico Elementary Holds History for Village
Julia M. Dendinger,
News-Bulletin
March 20, 2010 NEW MEXICO: At the end of a shade-dappled lane is a construction site. Large metal spikes in the ground mark off invisible building boundaries, generators hum in the early morning air and signs proclaiming this a "hard hat area" hang from the chain link fence surrounding the site. Sitting quietly amongst the hullaballoo is a small adobe building that is the original Bosque Farms Elementary School. Originally built in 1936, using adobe, the school initially served first through eighth grade. Because the school is located on only 4.6 acres, there has been little opportunity to expand the building, but the school district has made the most of what is available. In 1987, a new classroom addition was built, and the main building and library have been remodeled. The library highlights the original territorial style with open vigas and a "kiva" reading pit. The most recent construction was in 2006, which added a new cafeteria, a teacher's lounge and four kindergarten classrooms. The renovation that recently started includes improvements to the original building as well as a complete tear-down of the wing on the southeast corner of the school built in 1965. In its place, a new two-story classroom addition will be built. The renovation will also include getting the school up to its 500-student capacity. As plans were begun to improve the small campus, initial thoughts were to simply raze the entire facility and begin fresh. But the residents of the village, both former students and parents of students, pushed to have the original adobe building kept and preserved. The district agreed it would be left and become part of the completed campus. "Because Bosque Farms Elementary is a complicated project, we're going to leave intact the core building. It's beautiful and historical," former Superintendent Walter Gibson said. Having the original school kept during the renovations is something Tull says he is definitely glad to see. "The main building at the school is a recognizable landmark in the community," he said. "People who live here give directions and distances referencing it and for many, like me, it represents the 'roots' of Bosque Farms heritage." Once the project is complete, Tull is hopeful that the building will function as an integral part of the new school complex in some capacity, as it has for years, he said. "But it should also have the flexibility to be used for both special school and community events," Tull said. "It might also be an appropriate place for a display on the history of Bosque Farms for students, visitors, new and current residents." Detroit Public Schools Parents Say They Were Misled After Backing Bond to Help Their Schools
Marisa Schultz ,
Detroit News
March 20, 2010 MICHIGAN: Less than five months after Detroit voters passed a $500.5 million school construction plan, nearly half of the 18 schools that were to be rebuilt or renovated are now headed for closure or plans for them have been altered. The changes have outraged some supporters of the Proposal S bond who say they feel cheated for voting for a plan they were told would mean new construction or renovation in their neighborhood, but instead their schools will be shuttered as soon as this summer, according to the facilities plan released this week by Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools. Any changes to the bond program have to be approved by the state. Treasury Department spokesman Terry Stanton said no requests have been received, and until then state officials expect the bond projects to proceed as planned. "Generally, any changes would have to remain consistent with the application that had been submitted," Stanton said. The district is finishing the list of proposed amendments that will be submitted to the state and to the local DPS bond oversight committee, said Steven Wasko, district spokesman. "There will undoubtedly be adjustments as we go through the community vetting process for the facilities plan and school consolidation process." Bobb's goals for a "leaner, smarter DPS" calls for 45 schools to close this year and 13 more by 2012. The November bond program will expand from 18 to 22 the number of schools that will be renovated or rebuilt, Bobb said. Zero-interest Construction Bonds Entice Pennsylvania Schools
Brian Wallace,
Intelligencer Journal
March 20, 2010 PENNSYLVANIA: Imagine borrowing millions of dollars to build and repair schools and paying no interest on the construction loans. Officials at Donegal and Lancaster school districts are hoping that scenario becomes more than just a pipe dream. They've applied to participate in a new government-funded, zero-interest construction bond program that could save local taxpayers $50 million in interest payments in future years. But there's a catch. The two districts will be competing for the funds with scores of other school systems in Pennsylvania. All of them want a share of the $315.7 million earmarked for the state under the Qualified School Construction Bond program. Despite the competition, school officials are optimistic the program will pay off. "It's a huge potential savings for the taxpayers," said Michael Rowen, co-chairman of the School District of Lancaster board's finance and facilities committee. "The timing is perfect for us, and I'm just glad we're in the running." "Any place we can save some money, especially on something like this, it's always a positive," said Steve Cafrelli, president of Donegal school board. The QSCB program, created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, offers no-interest bonds to districts that are experiencing rapid growth or have high tax rates and/or high poverty levels. Of Lancaster County's 17 school districts, only SDL, Donegal and Columbia qualified. Columbia wanted to participate, business manager Laura Cowburn said, but delays in implementing the QSCB program — caused by the 101-day state budget standoff — scuttled the district's plan to use the bonds for its $17 million junior/senior high school expansion project. QSCB funds must be used on projects that make schools more energy-efficient, improve kindergarten or pre-kindergarten programs, reduce class sizes, increase student safety or enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics instruction. The state Department of Education will rate applications on those criteria to determine which schools get the money. Donegal is seeking $48 million to build a new high school, and SDL has requested $75.9 million for upgrades at 10 schools and an administrative center. The bond funds would pay for only a small portion of the upgrade projects under way at SDL's Ross, Wharton, Washington and Lafayette elementary schools. But the money could pay for nearly the entire second phase of projects planned to begin later this year at Martin, Carter & MacRae and Fulton elementary schools, Phoenix Academy, Steinman Clubhouse, Hand Middle School and Sheffey Administrative Center. The potential interest savings for both districts are significant. Financial adviser Ken Phillips estimates SDL could save as much as $35 million in interest over 15 to 17 years if it won approval for $70 million in bonds — the maximum Phillips expects the district to qualify for. If Donegal qualified for $30 million, he said, the district could save $15 million in interest payments. "I think everyone who applies and has a highly rated project is going to get something," said Phillips, managing director of RBC Capital Markets. "Will they get 100 percent? No. But they'll get a good portion of it." Still, there are 105 other school districts in the state eligible to apply for the limited pool of money. How many are seeking the funds? The Department of Education won't know that until it begins reviewing applications after the April 1 submission deadline, spokeswoman Leah Harris said. About a month later, districts should find out whether their applications made the cut. Next year, school districts will be able to vie for $286 million in QSCB funds. "Regardless of what (the districts) end up getting, I do think it's a really good use of the stimulus money," Phillips said. Rowen agreed. "I think its a fantastic opportunity for the district to take advantage of something the government's offering," he said. "There's no down side to the district at all."
Kansas City School District to Develop Strategies for Repurposing Closed Buildings
Kevin Collison,
Kansas City Star
March 20, 2010 KANSAS: The unprecedented decision to close 26 schools will be followed by an equally ambitious effort to ensure they won’t become neighborhood nuisances, a top official of the Kansas City School District promises. Acknowledging that the district has a poor record on recycling or selling and redeveloping vacated buildings, Chief Operating Officer Roosevelt Brown Jr. plans to establish a “repurposing committee” by the end of April that includes city officials, architects and planners. The committee will oversee the future of the buildings in the latest closings, along with 15 shut down previously. Seven will be mothballed for future reuse by students should the school district reverse its enrollment decline, some will be sold for redevelopment, and still others may wind up being demolished and made into parks. “We will be more aggressive,” said Brown, whose previous assignment was with the St. Louis School District. “We had phenomenal experience with developers repositioning buildings as senior citizen housing there,” he said. “I worked with five buildings that came back as amazing facilities for different purposes.” All over the United States, former schools are finding new lives as residential projects, community centers and office buildings. For historic properties there are state and federal tax credits available, and state tax credits are available for housing projects. “The range of uses is all over the ballpark,” said Royce Yeater, director of the Midwest office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Schools are incredibly adaptable. They’re often well-built with ample corridors and a very straightforward layout of halls and rooms.” The Kansas City district doesn’t have to go far to learn. The old Northeast Junior High School building in downtown Kansas City, Kan., reopened a year ago as a 43-unit apartment building. The redevelopment of that historic property was done by Pioneer Group Inc. of Topeka, which has renovated several other schools into housing. “While it’s still historic on the outside, inside it’s like a brand new building,” said Rick Kready, Pioneer’s vice president of operations. “Kansas City has a beautiful opportunity with these closed buildings, because many are historic. They built things stout back then, and it helps to have state and federal historic tax credits.” But the district is going to have to do a much better job identifying which buildings it wants to offer developers and evaluating their qualifications. The old West High School complex at 19th and Summit streets is just one example of how the Kansas City district has closed buildings and then neglected them. The group of five buildings, some dating to the late 19th century, has been a neighborhood burden for 30 years, according to Lynda Callon, director of the Westside Community Action Network Center. For about 25 years, parts of the buildings were used for nonprofit groups, but since the Family Conservancy pulled out five years ago, they’ve been vacant except when transients break in, she said. “It’s close to 30 years, at this point, of them sitting there rotting and not being invested in,” she said. “It’s only when the neighborhood screams that the district sends anyone to address the dumping, graffiti and break-ins.” Developer Gary Hassenflu was the high bidder when the district put the buildings up for auction in November 2008, but it took almost a year after that before he obtained a preliminary purchase contract. Now he’s trying to obtain a long-term contract necessary to line up funding sources. His plan calls for renovating the complex into 98 apartments and reusing the auditorium as a community center. “It’s become a blight to the area, because it’s been vacant so long the building has deteriorated,” he said. Guam Schools To Get $44.6 Million Stimulus Funds to Fix, Upgrade Campuses
Brett Kelman,
Pacific Daily News
March 20, 2010 GUAM: Widespread renovations paid for with federal stimulus funds will do more just than make public schools look better, said Guam Department of Education Superintendent Nerissa Bretania Underwood. This money will improve the learning environment offered to public school students and revive opportunities that some schools have lost to time, deterioration and budget constraints, she said. "We will actually have a more balanced curriculum as a result of this," Underwood said yesterday. "We will have better science labs and gyms. ... As a whole, we will have facilities that are more conducive to teaching and learning -- much more improved." Of the $75 million of State Fiscal Stabilization Funding headed to Guam DOE, about $44.6 million is expected to be spent to renovate and repair public school facilities, according to GovGuam's application to the U.S. Department of Education. About $30 million of that money was awarded on Friday and about $15 million more will most likely become available this fall. Seventeen projects have been planned at almost every school -- like structural repairs, electrical upgrades and the installation of new air conditioners -- although the scope and cost at each campus isn't the same. Most middle and high schools will also receive renovations to their physical education facilities. Underwood said funds for this cause are often siphoned away when budgets get tight, but stimulus funds provide an opportunity to finally make these overdue improvements. High schools will also receive funding to renovate the parking lots they offer students and faculty, according to the application. West Virginia School Building Authority Takes Full Advantage Of Available Stimulus Funds
Staff Writer,
MetroNews
March 19, 2010 WEST VIRGINIA: The state School Building Authority is taking advantage of every dollar of federal stimulus funding available. SBA Executive Director Mark Manchin says they used all the available bonding capacity in 2009. That interest-free money is now part of the $100 million pot they'll be handing out for new school construction and repairs next month. "We were the first state in the union to use the zero-cost bonding.,” Manchin said. “We sold our entire allotment. We were one of the few states that did." And again this year $72 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds have been made available to the state. Manchin says they'll gladly accept the funding which can be used to build new schools, repair or rehabilitate facilities or purchase land for new construction. Manchin says the benefit of using the QSC bonds is the fact the state can save tens of thousands of dollars because they don't have the debt service of typical bonds. "Because we're not selling the traditional taxable bonds that we would otherwise had this not been available to us, we'll save anywhere over the next two years probably $10 to $14-million in debt service payments. It's probably another school, one more an additional school or renovations to additional schools,” he said. This round of funding won't be available to West Virginia school systems until the next funding cycle in 2011 and will be actually spent in the 2012 construction season. Manchin says it takes a while to put the funding into play because there are some unanswered questions. "Right now, we're still trying to determine exactly what the bill does,” he said. But within a month, Manchin says he'll make his proposal for the money to the SBA. "How that's to be distributed, I'll make the recommendation to the Authority probably in the April meeting. Manchin says if they can get one more round of QSC bonds next year, the state will have taken full advantage of the funding available. Maryland County May Open School Early as Cost to Build Falls
Jennifer Buske,
Washington Post
March 18, 2010 MARYLAND: A new school in Prince William County's western end could pop up sooner than expected, thanks to a down economy that has helped the school system save millions of dollars in construction costs. Prince William schools officials said bids for T. Clay Wood Elementary School and a yet-to-be-named middle school in Gainesville came in about $21 million lower than budgeted. The savings, they said, will create room in the budget to push up by one year the opening of an additional much-needed elementary school in the Linton Hall area. "Having these bids come in below is one silver lining to the economic situation we are in," said School Board Vice Chairman Gilbert A. "Gil" Trenum Jr. (Brentsville). "We are still trying to play catch-up, so to have an opportunity to bring a school online a year ahead of time is a good thing and will make a lot of the community members a lot happier." School to be Green in Longmeadow, Massachusetts
Elizabeth Roman,
The Republican
March 18, 2010 MASSACHUSETTS: As plans move forward for the renovation and reconstruction of Longmeadow High School, members of the School Building Committee are thinking green. "As explained by our owner's project manager, Joslin-Lesser and Associates, and our architects from the Office of Michael Rosenfeld, the Massachusetts School Building Authority will give incentives to Longmeadow if we build a high performance, green school," said Superintendent of Schools E. Jahn Hart. As described by the authority "a high performance green school has three distinct attributes: it is less costly to operate than a conventional school; it is designed to enhance the learning and working environment; and it conserves important resources such as energy and water. Hart said the new high school will be designed as a community use facility that will take advantage of many available energy saving techniques including daylight. Daylight is a way to introduce more natural sunlight into the building and therefor reduce the energy requirements for artificial lighting. This is achieved through the use of skylights and strategic placements of windows, Hart said. The building will make use of energy management systems to monitor energy consumption and will also include non-traditional cooling devices, recycled, reclaimed, bio-based and certified wood materials used in construction and more. "We don't have specific dollar estimates on the total energy savings right now, but going green with mechanical systems is expected to save between 20 and 25 percent on energy costs," she said. The new building will include plaques and signs to inform students and visitors of the energy saving techniques the school will be using. N.J. To Get $216M in Federal Stimulus Funds for School Construction
Rohan Mascarenhas,
Star-Ledger
March 17, 2010 NEW JERSEY: In a much-needed financial boost, New Jersey has been allocated $216 million in federal bonds to finance school construction, the U.S. Treasury Department said. The bonds, issued under the federal stimulus bill, give states a low-interest way to borrow money to pay for new schools and repair existing facilities. Investors who purchase the bonds receive a federal income tax credit rather than receive interest. Launched last year, the program has made roughly $440 million available to New Jersey, after another allocation in 2009 topped $200 million. But so far, none of them have been used. "The (Corzine) administration wanted to wait until this administration took over," said Andrew Pratt, a spokesman for the state Treasury department. It is not clear when, or if, the state will sell the bonds. Pratt said his department would be ready to borrow money under the program this spring, but an ongoing review of the Schools Development Authority could derail that schedule. The independent authority, which oversees school construction, has come under intense scrutiny since Gov. Chris Christie’s election. A transition panel recommended an immediate audit after finding the authority was only solvent through March 2010 and has already authorized bonds worth $12.5 billion. Still, Pratt said, the federal bond program could be valuable for the budget-strapped state. "If you’re going to borrow, and we have to to complete projects, then zero percent interest is pretty good," he said. The funds do not have to be used by a particular deadline, a U.S. Treasury spokeswoman said. Separately, the federal government also allocated $25.7 million to Newark. Last year, Newark used most of its $27 million allocation to finance an expansion of the North Star Academy Charter School. The project, backed by a $19 million bond, will include two dozen class rooms, three science labs, a high school basketball court with 200 bleacher seats, according to a summary report issued by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority Indiana Moving Capital Projects Funds to General Fund to Pay Teachers Salaries
Meranda Watling,
Journal & Courier
March 17, 2010 INDIANA: Local school officials said they are thankful for the efforts of legislators in passing House Bill 1367, which will allow some new spending flexibility to offset state budget cuts this year. But the thanks doesn’t overcome the reality: It’s not enough relief to save many of the jobs and programs on the chopping block. After months of lobbying by superintendents, teachers and parents, the Indiana General Assembly agreed on Saturday to a bill that allows schools to move money from the property tax-supported capital projects fund directly to the state-supported general fund. That one-year direct transfer, which wasn’t legal before, will allow districts to defer building projects and maintenance in favor of using that cash to pay for salaries and benefits. Under the bill, which the governor hasn’t yet signed, all districts can move 5 percent of revenue from their capital project funds into their general funds. Those districts that adopt across-the-board salary freezes will be able to transfer 10 percent. Putting off maintenance also isn’t a long-term solution, West Lafayette Superintendent Rocky Killion said. His district lost $586,000 in state funding. It could recover about $200,000 of that at the expense of CPF under the 10-percent transfer. “We of course will have to forgo much-needed maintenance projects on our buildings by taking advantage of this one-time opportunity,” he said. “This one-time event only allows us to make up about one-third of what the state just cut from our budget in January, and it in no way addresses our state funding formula calculations.” Treasury, Education Departments Release Qualified School Construction Bonds Allocations for 2010
Lynn Hume,
The Bond Buyer
March 17, 2010 NATIONAL: The Treasury and Education Departments announced how the $11 billion of allocation authority to issue qualified school construction bonds for 2010 will be divided up among states and large local educational agencies. Under the allocations for 2010, states will receive $6.6 billion of the authority and large local educational agencies will receive $4.4 billion. Among the states, California will receive the largest allocation of almost $720.1 million, followed by Texas at $547.7 million. Of the local entities, New York City will receive the largest allocation, roughly $664.0 million, followed by the Puerto Rico Department of Education at almost $380.4 million, Los Angeles Unified at almost $290.2 million, and the city of Chicago School District 299 at $257.1 million. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which was enacted last year, provided $11 billion of QSCB authority for 2009 and $11 billion for 2010. [Includes a link to the full list of 2010 allocations.] Recovery Act Program Provides $11 Billion to Build Schools, Create Jobs Across the Country
Press Release,
U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Education
March 17, 2010 NATIONAL: The U.S. Department of Treasury and the Department of Education announced $11 billion in allocation authority to issue qualified school construction bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). Qualified school construction bonds can be used to finance the construction, rehabilitation or repair of a public school facility or for the acquisition of land where a school will be built. "Recovery Act school construction bonds provide low-cost borrowing to build and upgrade schools, which is a win-win for communities across the country," said Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin. "The projects funded with these bonds create jobs today building modern schools to prepare our kids for the global economy of tomorrow." "Preparing students to compete in the global economy requires improvements in all aspects of our nation's education system, including the environments in which they learn," added Education Deputy Secretary Tony Miller. "The Recovery Act is keeping teachers in the classroom and, through the construction bond program, making lasting investments in the quality of our schools. Our kids deserve no less." Created by the Recovery Act, qualified school construction bonds help state and local governments obtain low-cost financing for much needed public school improvements and construction. Investors who buy these bonds receive Federal income tax credits at prescribed tax credit rates in lieu of interest. These tax credit bonds essentially allow state and local governments to borrow without incurring interest costs. The Recovery Act provided for the issuance of $11 billion of qualified school construction bonds by states and large local educational agencies in 2009 and $11 billion in 2010. The 2010 allocations include $6.6 billion of bonding authority to the 50 states and the remaining $4.4 billion of volume cap to 103 large local educational agencies under a statutory formula tied to levels of federal education grant funding. [The full list of allocations by state is included.] Government Sets School Bonds, Congress Approves Rebates
Lisa Lambert,
Reuters
March 17, 2010 NATIONAL: State and school districts can now tap their 2010 allocations of stimulus school construction bonds, which total $11 billion, the Treasury and Education Departments said, as the U.S. Congress moved to create more demand for the debt. States can sell a total $6.6 billion of qualified school construction bonds and the largest 103 school districts in the country will be able to sell $4.4 billion. The $863 billion stimulus plan passed last year initially designated those bonds as "tax credit," meaning they could offer credits against federal income tax in lieu of interest payments. But on Wednesday, the U.S. Congress sent a bill to President Barack Obama to sign into law that would transform them to resemble the more popular Build America Bonds created in the stimulus plan. Taxable Build America Bonds come with a rebate from the federal government equal to 35 percent of their interest costs. Citing the current lack of interest in the stimulus plan's tax-credit bond programs, which also finance environmental and other school projects, Congress changed their structure. Under the bill, tax-credit bonds would also offer federal rebates, but at a level more than double the BABs rate. On Wednesday, New York City Comptroller John Liu said school construction bonds the Big Apple sells would receive a rebate covering the full interest costs, leaving the city to borrow at "a net rate of zero." "In the rising battle for space as more schools close and overcrowded classrooms burst at the seams, this is exactly what we need and asked for," he said in a statement. The legislation would cap the subsidy at whichever is lesser, the federally-set tax-credit rate or the actual bond interest rate. Under current market conditions, that garners New York a 100 percent rebate, Liu said. According to Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who chairs the Finance Committee, the rebates are now more in line with the level of subsidy the U.S. government would have provided through tax credits. Baucus also said that the conversion of all the tax credit bond programs will cost the U.S. government $4.6 billion over 10 years. Fitch Ratings has said many issuers have still had to offer interest payments on the stimulus tax credit bonds that were allocated last year in order to attract buyers. For example, the Alabama School and College Authority offered an interest rate of 1.865 percent on $145.88 million of bonds it sold at the end of 2009. The debt already carried a tax credit rate of 5.76 percent. Information on sales of the school bonds has been slim, as many small issues are sold competitively and many of the bonds are privately placed. The stimulus plan requires the bonds have a maximum 15-year maturity, which could create the problem of school districts having to make "balloon" payments in the near future, according to Fitch. The market for tax-credit bonds, which has existed for numerous years, has been small and the stimulus included an authorization to strip the credits from the debt and trade them separately in order to increase investor appetite for the debt. Last week, the top Treasury municipal bond counsel told a state treasurers' meeting guidance on how credits can be traded would come out "very, very, very soon." That will be more than a year since the Treasury first said it would advise the market on credit stripping.
California Grade School Embraces 'Cool Roof' Technology
Sam Richards,
Contra Costa Times
March 16, 2010 CALIFORNIA: It doesn't look much different from flat roofs painted white to help ward off the sun's searing rays. But the white surface of the roof of Las Juntas Elementary School on Pacheco Boulevard isn't paint; it's an "engineered coating" designed by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory scientists to better deflect solar heat and light back into the sky rather than into the building. That, Bay Area Air Quality Management District spokesman Ralph Borrmann said, should save energy costs, keep teachers, students and staff members cooler and thus reduce air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions. Contra Costa County Supervisor Gayle Uilkema said most of the $300,000 project was from fines paid by Equilon Enterprises (Shell Martinez refinery) after two release accidents in October 2001, and the rest by the Martinez school district. The work, finished recently, includes the sprayed-on roof coating material, weatherization of the school building and a new indoor air filtration system. The roofing material has already proved effective in keeping classrooms cool, Uilkema said, without drawing outside air into the school as an air-conditioning system would, she said. The material was designed by Lawrence Berkeley scientists involved in its Heat Island Group, which studies how cities are effectively "islands of heat" retaining more heat than do surrounding less populated and built-up areas. Seismic Review Under Way for Utah's Schools, Despite Legislature's Caution
Judy Fahys,
Salt Lake Tribune
March 16, 2010 UTAH: Utah lawmakers balked once again at legislation to inventory Utah public schools to see how they would weather a strong earthquake. As an alternative, they plan "to study whether to require a school district or charter school to conduct a seismic evaluation" of its buildings. But it turns out the state Office of Education is just about ready to hand in this assignment. Finance Director Larry Newton said Monday an earthquake review is "almost done." "The inventory is happening," he said. "We've been gathering the information for two months. The data is coming in." Rep. Larry Wiley, D-West Valley City, said he will press forward on the issue. The demise of his HB72, which passed the house but failed to get before the Senate in the Legislature's final days, followed the wreck of similar efforts in the preceding two years. An informal survey estimates that 58 percent of about 800 school buildings were constructed before modern seismic standards of the mid-1970s. With about 560,000 students in public and charter school buildings and a reasonable likelihood that Utah will face a magnitude-7.5 temblor, a statewide to-do list is urgently needed, earthquake experts say. Despite Several Failed Bonds, Idaho School District Still Gets Money
Associated Press,
KBOI2.com
March 16, 2010 IDAHO: A $25 million pool of money lawmakers set aside in 2006, after the Idaho Supreme Court ruled the state's method of paying for school construction was unconstitutional, is being used for the first time. The Plummer-Worley Joint School District in rural northern Idaho is tapping more than $11 million from the loan fund to replace its elementary school, which was vacated last year after a state inspector found a roof in danger of collapse. Students who regularly attended Lakeside Elementary School in Worley were moved to the district's middle school in Plummer, where about 150 kids are in portable trailer classrooms. The district applied to the state's Public Schools Facilities Cooperative Fund in November, after several attempts to convince local property taxpayers to pass construction bonds failed. State officials have signed off on the project, which started this month. Laptop Revolution: New Classroom Design Saves Schools Money, Space
Staff Writer,
Science Centric
March 14, 2010 NORTH CAROLINA: Universities around the country are struggling with shrinking budgets, even as they need to cater to the needs of an increasing number of students. New research from North Carolina State University shows that one way to cut down on costs, and simultaneously improve the learning experience, is to have students use the technology they already bring into the classroom. Specifically, the NC State researchers launched a pilot project to gauge the impact of a classroom design that provides wireless Internet access and power outlets to facilitate the use of students' laptop computers. The project revolved around writing classes being taught in the classroom, which required that students bring their laptops to class - obviating the need for the class to use computer labs. 'The cost of setting up a classroom like this is minimal, compared to setting up new computer classrooms, which is essential given budget constraints and the limited availability of new space - you're converting existing classrooms rather than creating new computer labs,' says Dr Susan Miller-Cochran, co-author of the study and associate professor of English at NC State. 'Basically, this is an economical way to create a sustainable space for teaching writing that can be scaled up or down according to need. 'And, of course, all of this is predicated on the idea that computer use should be incorporated into introductory writing courses,' Miller-Cochran says. 'We think it should be because this is the medium today's students use to write, and because computer literacy is a key component of a college education.' However, Miller-Cochran stresses the need to ensure that all students can take advantage of the wireless classrooms. 'You need to bear in mind that there are going to be students who do not have their own laptops, or who lose or break their laptops over the course of a semester,' Miller-Cochran says. 'One solution is to provide a fleet of laptops that students can sign out.' Despite concerns that students would become distracted - checking their Facebook accounts during class, for example - the researchers found that students using their own laptops in the pilot project classroom tended to be more focused, perhaps because of their familiarity with the equipment they were using. 'We also found that the students were more likely to take their work with them,' Miller-Cochran says. 'For example, students could pick their laptops up and continue to write in the lounge outside the classroom.' The pilot project was launched in fall 2008, and was composed of 28 class sections taught over three semesters. The researchers hope to increase the number of classrooms with similar capabilities in the near future. To Get Stimulus Tax Credits, Bank Cuts Interest for New Montana School Building
Bill Schwanke,
Missoulian
March 14, 2010 MONTANA: When the Stevensville School District breaks ground for a new building June 14, there will be absolutely no interest on the $8.88 million bond. Thanks to Rocky Mountain Bank of Stevensville, the district in fact will end up paying back almost $3.2 million less than it borrowed. That's because the bank, which approached the school district with the unique offer, qualifies for a significant 6.1 percent tax break that still allows it to make money on the deal. Out of 14 applicants for construction manager, the Stevensville School District has hired Swank Enterprises to head up the project that will include the demolition of the junior high building, built in 1901 - as well as the grades 4-6 building, put up in 1924, and the junior high shop, built in 1930. In their place will be a building housing grades 4-8 along with a multipurpose room/kitchen facility. School Superintendent Kent Kultgen said Swank will break things out into numerous small projects to enhance the possibility of using more local builders. The work will be done under a Quality School Construction Bond that allows for the tax credit for the bond purchase. The school system already had D.A. Davidson and Co. ready to sell the bonds at 1.3 percent interest before the bank stepped in. Then came what Kultgen called a "random meeting" with Rocky Mountain Bank officials. "They had done their legwork and made us an offer at 0.0 percent," Kultgen said. "It was a big surprise because their sole desire was to partner with (a) community member within their vision of contributing in every community. "Everybody says that," Kultgen went on, "but to put money where your mouth is is unreal." Money from the bond sale went to the Ravalli County treasurer March 9. Construction funds will be invested to earn interest through a bid process with local banks. Bank president Jeff Fuller said the project falls solidly within the bank's philosophy of community involvement. His personal interest comes in part from having three children and a wife who is a teacher. Fuller said the project made sense because it benefits the school district and allows the bank to come out OK financially. "Taxpayers are the ones that are funding the purchase," Fuller added. "We should do our part." Fuller also said the school district had put itself in position to get a good bond rating, which made it possible to put the deal together quickly. Add in the obvious safety issues in the schools, and the project became that much more attractive to the bank. "It's a win, win, win situation for everyone," Fuller said. For the school district, it's something akin to winning the lottery, but with important implications for students and teachers. "The real purpose (of the construction) is to take care of safety concerns," Kultgen said. "The junior high is a two-story brick structure with poor, poor fire escapes (and) steep stairs. Ventilation and heating are very inefficient." Kultgen said the current grades 4-6 building also mnakes for a very poor learning environment. "It's just amazing that our kids will now be in a one-story, energy-efficient, optimal learning environment," Kultgen said. More Solar Panels for San Jose Schools With Federal Stimulus Bonds
Jim Witkin,
Triplepundit
March 12, 2010 CALIFORNIA: The San Jose Unified School District extended its commitment to renewable energy, as it broke ground on a 3.7 MW solar project to be built at six school sites in the East Side Union High School District. When the six sites go online later this year, they are expected to reduce electric utility costs by more than $1.5 million in the first year, $7.6 million over five years, and provide total savings of $36 million over the life of the project. Cost savings come from reduced electricity costs, and also from generous state incentives and additional revenues from the sale of renewable energy credits. As for environmental benefits, the project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 3,100 metric tons per year. These projects demonstrate how many California school districts are starting to use solar projects to save money in an era of shrinking budgets. Tom Kelly from, The Helios Project, a non-profit group focused on reducing fossil fuel use in California school districts, believes the time is right for solar powered schools: “Statewide the availability of Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) – part of the stimulus package – and Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) is fueling significant interest in photovoltaics (PV). This type of financing is so attractive that when combining it with reduced prices for PV panels, more competitive installation costs, and fairly robust rebates, public school are finding that solar can not only pay for itself, it can also be a revenue generator – a very important consideration in these difficult financial times.” Pensacola, Florida Schools Get Unexpected $22M for Renovations From Half-Cent Sales Tax
Rebekah Allen,
Pensacola News Journal
March 12, 2010 FLORIDA: Schools throughout Escambia County will receive $22 million worth of unexpected upgrades and renovations, thanks to the half-cent sales tax. The tax generates about $20 million a year to be used for school construction and renovation projects. But after the district finished a list of budgeted projects, there was $22 million left over from accrued interest and savings from finishing projects under budget. "It's like getting a sixth year of revenue from a five-year referendum," said Shawn Dennis, assistant superintendent of operations. Projects in each of the School Board's five districts received funding, as well as some districtwide programs. In all, nearly 50 schools were approved for renovations, ranging from new windows and portable construction, to parking expansions and air conditioning replacements. Projects chosen came from wish lists that principals submitted for construction and renovation projects for their schools. The projects will begin in the coming months and be complete within two years, Dennis said. "Projects that needed to be done, but weren't, are getting done a lot faster, and then there are some projects that may have never been done without this money," said Ashley Bodmer, chairwoman of the tax watch dog committee that oversees how the sales tax money is spent. Salina, Kansas Students Take Charge of Greening Their School
Michael Strand,
Salina Journal
March 12, 2010 KANSAS: It's not often you see students getting concerned about their school's utility bills, or working to educate the community, or ditching half-time festivities to take the visiting team's fans on a tour of a new wind generator. But it's the kind of stuff that's becoming commonplace at Clifton-Clyde High School, and several months ago it attracted the attention of Gov. Mark Parkinson and Lt. Gov. Troy Findley. And after months of trying to work it into his schedule, Findley made it to the school for a tour led by some of the students who have been working on the projects since early last fall. The small wind turbine behind the school was made possible by a $9,000 grant from the state Green Schools program, along with several local businesses, which donated labor and materials for the foundation and installation of the turbine. George said the school district is looking for ways to save money, and the turbine cuts about $50 a month off the school's energy bill. "You might think we're not saving a lot of money, senior Trevor Barnes said during his part of the presentation. "But the real value is education in the community." He explained that during half-times of home football games this past fall, students invited fans on a tour of the school's wind turbine, and explained other projects that are in the works. The school is already working with a company that will provide a larger wind turbine, capable of supplying all or nearly all of the school's electrical needs. The efforts to bring wind energy to the forefront were already making a difference, George said, as three Clifton-Clyde students are now planning to enter Cloud County Community College's wind energy program. Throughout their presentations, students credited first-year Superintendent Brian Pekarek for his work in helping them secure both government grants and assistance from businesses as far away as Salina; Lowe's and Walmart donated landscape plants and a drip-irrigation system for a garden around the school's turbine. Pekarek also arranged for the Trane heating and air-conditioning company to do an energy audit of the school. As the group stood outside the main entrance, senior Dylan Koch pointed to the window air-conditioning units, telling Findley the school hopes to replace them with a more-efficient central air system soon. Senior Laura Rogers explained the school now uses solar power in two areas -- to run a water pump near the wind turbine, which they plan to use to water the football field, and a panel near the front entrance that powers the entry-way lighting. Rogers said the solar panel mounted over the front entry is a reminder of the school's commitment to green technology. A War is Raging in New York City Over School Co-Location
Diane Vaca,
Chelsea Now
March 11, 2010 NEW YORK: A war over school resources is raging in New York City. The latest battle was fought in Chelsea on Feb. 23, when parents and students confronted PEP — the Panel on Educational Policy that replaced the independent Board of Education when the mayoral control of city schools was instituted in 2002. At stake was the fate of 16 new schools, including 13 charter schools that were to be “co-located” or inserted into buildings that already house existing schools. The charter schools were to move into the space left by public-school students who had been displaced when their schools in those buildings had been closed. Despite determined opposition by parents of public-school children, the outcome was never in doubt. Mayor Bloomberg and schools chancellor Joel Klein strongly support charter schools and co-location, and the mayor controls PEP. The Panel for Educational Puppets, as some call it, has always approved the Mayor’s proposals without serious debate. Though Chelsea has no charter schools, it does have several co-located schools. One of these is the Bayard Rustin Educational Complex (BREC). Established in 1930 as the Textile High School, it had a capacity of 1,500 students for many years. The building now houses five schools with two more slated for arrival in September. According to its web site, the five combined student bodies now total just under 2,000 students. These extra students are accommodated at BREC as elsewhere in the city by increasing school capacity, which is in turn achieved with the conversion of cluster space — rooms like libraries, science labs, art studios, music rooms, auditoriums and gymnasiums — to classrooms. Once lost, these critical learning spaces and the enrichment programs they make possible can’t be recovered. This practice has been common in New York City for years as new school construction lags behind a growing school population. At BREC, for example, Special Ed classes are now taught in the basement, where teachers report there is a pervasive rodent infestation. Co-location, in addition to exacerbating overcrowded conditions and leading to the loss of classroom and cluster space, “causes fights and divisions between the various schools located in the building. It’s led to a lot of problems,” Class Size Matters founder Leonie Haimson told Chelsea Now. School co-location is the most controversial topic in education today. Overcrowding, school capacity, shared resources, charter schools and the small schools movement are some of the issues associated with co-location. Older, established public schools are being closed, forced to share their resources with newly created charter schools or required to accommodate students displaced when their schools were closed and replaced by charter schools. The parent-led NYC Coalition for Educational Justice has published a report that demonstrates the errors in the DOE’s Educational Impact Statements on school co-locations. It is calling for a moratorium on co-locations pending further, independent analysis. Charter schools have their proponents as well as their detractors, but the reality is that they are having a huge impact on the public schools. Schools Across U.S. Grapple With Closures
Alan Greenblatt,
NPR
March 11, 2010 NATIONAL: In one of the largest school closures ever seen in the U.S., the Kansas City, Mo., school board approved a plan that will shutter 26 of the district's 61 schools. Kansas City's action may have been drastic, but it's not unique. On Tuesday, Cleveland's school board approved a plan to close or move 16 schools. Detroit, which closed 29 schools before the term began last fall, is considering shutting more. All over the country, many school districts are facing declines in both revenue and enrollment. As a result, the number of districts considering school closures this year has doubled — and is expected to double again next year. "Right now, the economy is expediting school closures," says Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators. "As districts are hard-pressed to meet their budgets, they're looking for everything they can cut." School districts are facing particularly strong budget pressures just now because their main source of revenue — property taxes — is in decline owing to the foreclosure crisis. Housing values have come down about 10 percent since 2007. And things aren't expected to get better on that front anytime soon, with the commercial real estate market beginning to wobble. In addition, many states are cutting aid to education. Last year's federal stimulus package included $48 billion for education, but much of that money was used to make up for cuts in state spending. And the stimulus money runs out next year. As a result, school districts are cutting back. Most districts are laying off teachers and other workers, and many are shrinking or eliminating funding for programs such as arts and athletics. Others are considering what might be the most drastic step, closing facilities altogether. According to a survey conducted last fall by the school administrators association, 6 percent of districts closed or consolidated schools for the current school year, which doubled the number from the previous year. Their ranks are expected to grow to 11 percent for the 2010-11 school year. "As bad as things are now, we see they're going to get worse next year," says Domenech, the association's director. "But it's the following year which is really going to be hard." School closures are the ultimate anti-NIMBY issue. Three years ago, Maine Gov. John Baldacci proposed cutting the number of school districts in his state from 290 to 26. The state still has some 200 districts, with arguments cropping up whenever districts or individual schools are put on the chopping block. Just this week, the South Portland school board delayed its decision on a plan put forward by the superintendent to merge two middle schools after the federal stimulus dollars run out. "The funny thing is, some [communities] are very quiet, but the minute you say you're going to close their schools, you hear from them," says Mary Louise Bewley, director of school and community relations for the Indianapolis Public Schools, which has shut 14 of its 79 schools over the past two years. "It's always fraught with emotion, because people love their schools." The DeKalb County School System, in suburban Atlanta, is considering a proposal to close at least four and perhaps as many as a dozen of its 147 schools. The district is anticipating a budget shortfall of $88 million, which could easily grow. Residents are upset, particularly because the schools listed so far as targets for elimination are in the southern part of the county, which is poor and heavily African-American. Hundreds of angry parents filled a school cafeteria Tuesday to protest the plan at a meeting of the school system's Citizens Planning Task Force. But many of DeKalb's schools enroll fewer than 450 students, which is a threshold level for state funding. "It costs more to operate schools with very low enrollment, and the state formula for funding school construction penalizes systems which have very large numbers of vacant seats," says Tom Bowen, who chairs the DeKalb school board. "Closing schools actually increases the ability for the school system to get state construction dollars."
Colorado Public Schools Need $18 billion in Construction and Maintenance, Report Finds
Jeremy P. Meyer,
Denver Post
March 11, 2010 COLORADO: Colorado's 8,419 public-school buildings need almost $18 billion worth of construction work, energy upgrades and overall maintenance, according to a statewide facilities assessment. Teams of evaluators last year examined every kindergarten through 12th-grade public-school building in Colorado, looking at energy use, overall condition and whether current or future educational needs were being met. The assessment was commissioned by the state's Public School Capital Construction Assistance Board to help decide how to allocate grant money from the Building Excellent Schools Today Act — a fund that directs money from the state's School Trust Lands to school renovation. State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, who manages the land-trust fund, called the findings "striking." "What this demonstrates is that the health and safety risks for kids in Colorado schools are even higher than we originally thought," she said in a news release. The assessment examined the ages of roofs, condition of buildings, effectiveness of utility systems and even air and water quality. Overall, the current and forecast needs for schools through 2013 calls for $17.9 billion in work, including $9.4 billion for deferred maintenance, $4.5 billion to modify schools for 21st-century classrooms and $19 million in energy repairs. The assessment did not figure in capital construction projects underway. Last summer, $87 million in BEST act money went to replace two elementary schools in Alamosa, schools in the Sangre de Cristo district and a high school in Sargent. The next installment of BEST funds is expected to be released in the next few days and will amount to more than $147 million available for school construction needs. The assessments found the average school age is 40. Many of the schools that are outdated and need to be fixed to conform to 21st-century standards were built in the 1970s — when open classrooms were the rage. Now, remodeling those classrooms to code will be costly. "These are aging schools with mold, leaky roofs and crumbling foundations," Kennedy said. "The resources we have already placed will begin to address these needs, but they are only a start." School Construction Could Yield Jobs in California, Only If...
Joe Simitian,
San Francisco Chronicle
March 11, 2010 CALIFORNIA: "Jobs, jobs, jobs" was the call from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his State of the State message. No one heckled. Jobs are a bipartisan aspiration. Turning it into a bipartisan accomplishment has been more elusive. So it is all the more frustrating when the state fumbles an easy opportunity for more employment - when projects have been designed, money is available, contractors are eager to bid, workers are desperate, and yet all sit and wait for a sluggish bureaucracy. School district officials up and down the state tell me that they have construction work ready to go. But the plans are stalled at the Division of the State Architect which must approve them. Like many state agencies, the architect's office has required its employees to take three unpaid furlough days a month - even though when plan-checkers stay home, construction workers remain idle. The measure of the wait is called "bin time." Bin time is not how long it takes to review the plans; it's how long a plan sits before someone even picks it up. At the end of January, bin time was 12 weeks. That's right, three months. School districts have the money for new buildings and modernization. Voters in 2006 approved $7.3 billion for K-12 schools statewide, and local bonds add millions more. California's construction industry certainly needs the work. It shrank by more than 100,000 jobs in 2009. That means that school districts are missing a prime opportunity to capture low-cost bids, giving the taxpayers more for their money. Delays on school projects are particularly disruptive. For work that must be done when students are gone, a three-month delay can turn into a year if the project isn't approved in time for the coming summer. Instead of furloughs, state architect's office employees ought to be working full time, and even overtime. If applications temporarily flood in, the agency should contract out for additional reviewers if it believes adding permanent staff is not cost-effective. Getting these projects underway is not just a benefit for school districts. When people go to work and contractors buy supplies, the state receives sales and income taxes. Few projects can match school construction as a quick way to put carpenters, masons, electricians and plumbers back to work and to boost orders for lumber, concrete, lights and pipes. Schools are waiting to provide better classrooms, libraries and playgrounds for their students. Workers are anxious for a regular paycheck. The money is waiting in the bank. Everyone is waiting on a state that says it wants nothing more than jobs, jobs, jobs, yet the bureaucracy seems in no hurry to reach in and grab the ones sitting in the bin. New Orleans School Damaged by Katrina Reopens With Green Features
Staff Writer,
Green Building News
March 10, 2010 LOUISIANA: The recently renovated Joseph A. Craig Elementary School opened for classes in January for the first time since 2007. The school was designed for LEED Silver certification, but administrators decided not to pursue the designation. Green features of the renovated school include high-efficiency mechanical and energy management systems, insulated windows and doors, pervious concrete, low-VOC paints, and other items. In addition, a solar panel that provides 25kW of electricity donated by Entergy New Orleans stands in the school+s playground and can be raised up to 10 and a half feet.The 500-student elementary, located in the historic Treme neighborhood near the French Quarter, built around 1925, had severe mold and termite damage due to its age and flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina. After the hurricane, the school was one of the first in the Recovery School District to reopen, but mold and termite damage and asbestos prevented the school district from keeping it open. In 2007, students were again displaced as the school+s structure was repaired, mold was abated and the interior of the building was updated with 21st-century features. Classes were moved to modular units several miles away until the three-story building was reopened a second time. New Orleans-based SCNZ Architects led the design of the $14 million renovation project, while Metairie-headquartered Ryan Gootee General Contractors LLC provided general contracting services. Phase one of the project included remediation of asbestos, lead and mold and the removal of interior finishes and termite and water- damaged wood. In addition, ventilator units and two-pipe cooling systems, electrical panels, windows, doors and cabinets were all removed or salvaged. Phase two involved renovations of the 64,000-square-foot school and the addition of a 3,000-square-foot kitchen facility, the installation of a solar panel array and the construction of new entry canopies. It was a challenge to shoehorn a lot of the modern features into a 1920s building, says Richard Choate, a principal at SCNZ Architects. Though the Craig building includes the latest in school technology, computer stations, and a new playground, each of the classrooms contains old casework from the original building reminders of what the interior used to look like. L.A.'s Green Schools: Propane Buses, Solar Panels and Environmental Education
Susan Carpenter,
Los Angeles Times Greenspace Blog
March 08, 2010 CALIFORNIA: What with budget cuts, teacher layoffs and increasing class sizes, the situation at L.A. Unified School District is grim. But there’s yet another issue. With 14,000 buildings housing 700,000 students spread over 710 square miles serviced by 1,300 school buses, the district is one of the largest users of water and energy in the state of California. Now an ambitious sustainability program has been implemented to reduce the district’s environmental impact and, in the process, save money, improve student performance and serve as a hands-on teaching tool. In March, hundreds of decades-old buses will be upgraded to less-polluting, more-energy-efficient propane models. Eight schools, out of a planned 250, will have solar power installed. Still others will be outfitted with "smart" irrigation systems to reduce the millions of gallons of imported water the district guzzles each day, more than half of which is used for outdoor watering. Building on a 2005 recycling initiative, LAUSD is striving to slash greenhouse-gas emissions, energy use and water use by 10% from 2007 levels by 2013. It also will install 50 megawatts of solar photovoltaics – a move that could save the district more than $20 million annually on an electricity bill that normally runs $85 million. So far, most of the changes have been funded with voter-approved state bond measures, utility incentives from Southern California Edison and the L.A. Department of Water and Power and grants from such agencies as the Air Quality Management District. An additional $120 million in federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds also may be available to the LAUSD to help it go solar. The 44 campuses the district plans to build by 2013 will be designed to comply with water and energy efficiency standards of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, which also encourages better classroom acoustics, air quality, mold prevention and natural lighting. "People think of the whole green issue as focusing on energy, but it’s actually only one-fifth energy. It’s also focused on air quality, land use and human comfort," said Vivian Loftness, professor of architecture at Carnegie Mellon University and co-chair of a 2008 National Research Council report on green schools. "There’s a much broader set of issues." For the green schools study, a 5-person panel of medical doctors, school officials and building experts looked at research linking green schools to health and student performance. It found that many green building practices aided learning. Insulated walls and double-paned windows don’t just save energy, they also reduce noise pollution. Increasing natural light in classrooms doesn’t just save electricity, it triggers melatonin production, which leads to healthy sleep cycles, and it makes textbooks and other materials more colorful and compelling to students, Loftness said. Using non-VOC paints reduces respiratory problems such as asthma – the No. 1 cause of absenteeism in schools. It’s the intersection of green architectural practices and improved learning -- as well as teaching opportunities -- that led to Project FROG, a San Francisco firm that designs and manufactures zero-energy classrooms and portable trailers, such as the one at a LAUSD charter school opening this fall. The Vaughn Next Century Learning Center in San Fernando will feature recycled denim insulation, low- and no-VOC interiors and a tall, pitched roof that allows so much natural light that overhead lights may not even be needed. The school itself will be a training center to prepare high school students for careers in California’s budding green economy. Bond Subsidies in House and Senate Bills for School Construction
Peter Schroeder,
Bond Buyer
March 08, 2010 NATIONAL: Sen. Charles Grassley is opposing the expanded bond provisions included in the jobs bill the House passed Thursday, arguing that the higher subsidy rates in the legislation will just boost profits for Wall Street underwriters. The House’s version of the jobs bill would allow issuers of four types of tax-credit bonds — qualified school construction bonds, qualified zone academy bonds, new clean renewable energy bonds, and qualified energy conservation bonds — to opt to receive direct-payment subsidies as opposed to receiving that subsidy in the form of tax credits provided to investors. Under the measure, issuers of the bonds would receive direct payments that are roughly equal to the credit rate currently on the bonds — 100% of interest costs for QSCBs and QZABs, and 70% for new CREBs and QECBs. Although the bill the Senate passed last month also extend Build America Bond-style subsidies to those programs, it offered significantly lower subsidy rates. Under that version, large issuers would receive a subsidy rate of 45% of interest costs and small issuers would receive a 65% rate. The bill defined small issuers as those that sell less than $30 million of bonds in the calendar year. However, several muni market groups have spoken out against the Senate bill and in favor of the higher rates the House is pushing. Under the Senate plan, the groups argued, no issuers would be willing to go the direct-subsidy route if it meant receiving half of the subsidy that could be obtained with tax credits. “The RBDA is encouraged by House passage of [the jobs bill] and its provisions to allow the conversion of tax-credit bonds to BABs,” said Mike Nicholas, chief executive officer of the Regional Bond Dealers Association. “We think this is a positive first step in expanding the vibrant market for tax-exempt securities.” And Ken Bentsen Jr., executive vice president of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, told lawmakers in a letter that the House provisions enable “state and local school districts and governments ... to achieve the no-cost or low-cost financing that Congress originally intended, similar to the highly successful Build America Bonds (“BABs”) program.” As Los Angeles Unified School District Tightens Belt, 'Green' Resolution Helps Trim Water, Energy Costs
Susan Carpenter,
Los Angeles Times
March 07, 2010 CALIFORNIA: While the Los Angeles Unified School District grapples with budget slashing, teacher layoffs, program cuts and increasing class sizes, a 3-year-old program has been steadily carving away at future water and electricity costs for the 14,000 buildings in the sprawling system. Since passage in 2007 of the Green LAUSD resolution, the district has been working to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and its energy and water use by 10% from 2007 levels by 2013. It also will install 50 megawatts of solar photovoltaic arrays, a move that could save the district more than $20 million annually on an electricity bill that normally costs $85 million. In March, hundreds of decades-old buses will be upgraded to less-polluting, more energy-efficient propane models. Eight of a planned 250 schools will have solar power installations. Still others will be outfitted with "smart" irrigation systems to reduce the millions of gallons of imported water the district guzzles each day, more than half of which is used for outdoor watering. Most of the changes have been funded with voter-approved state bond measures, utility incentives and grants from agencies including the South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern California Edison and the L.A. Department of Water and Power. An additional $120 million in federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds may also be available to LAUSD to help it go solar. Under a program unveiled for this school year, a portion of water and energy savings are being returned to schools that institute conservation measures, such as fixing leaky faucets or turning off lights in empty rooms. With Haitian Schools in Ruins, Children in Limbo
Simon Romero,
New York Times
March 06, 2010 HAITI: Thousands of schools in and around this devastated capital could remain closed for months or never reopen, according to Haitian and United Nations education officials. That leaves vast numbers of children languishing in camps or working in menial jobs as they struggle to survive. Even before the Jan. 12 earthquake, only about half of Haiti’s school-age children were enrolled in classes, a glaring symbol of the nation’s poverty. Unicef, basing its estimates on talks with government officials, said that more than 3,000 school buildings in the earthquake zone had been destroyed or damaged. Hundreds of teachers and thousands of students were killed, and officials are questioning the safety of the remaining buildings after violent aftershocks in recent weeks, making the goal of Haitian education officials to reopen many schools by April 1 seem increasingly remote. “We have six engineers in the Education Ministry to survey more than 10,000 schools to see if they’re safe,” said Charles Tardieu, a former education minister who is pushing for schools to reopen in tent camps. “Let’s face the reality that many schools are never going to be used again, and that we urgently need other ways to revive the system,” he said. Haiti’s education system was already dysfunctional before the earthquake. Only about 20 percent of schools were public, with the rest highly expensive for the poor. Even in public schools, poor families struggled to pay for uniforms, textbooks and supplies. While other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean spend about 5 percent of their gross domestic product on education, Haiti was spending just 2 percent, according to the Inter-American Development Bank. “The quality of education was very low, with about a third of teachers having nine years of education at best,” Mr. Cabral said in an interview here, after a recent meeting with Haitian officials in an attempt to come up with a plan to reopen schools. Mr. Cabral said the Inter-American Development Bank estimated that Haiti needed $2 billion over the next five years to rebuild its education system. Opinion: Don't Build New Charter Facility If an Old School Building Will Do
Editorial,
Pioneer Press
March 06, 2010 MINNESOTA: A charter school is an idea, or, perhaps, a dream. It has a physical presence but at its heart, the successful charter is the embodiment of new, exciting and measurable ways to educate students. But this year at the Legislature, we are asked to consider the charter school as bricks and mortar. The Minnesota Senate has begun work on a bill that deals with the conditions under which charter schools can purchase or construct their own school buildings. It's a necessary effort, considering the current haphazard system, which had led to some questionable deals and financing practices. But this year's discussion represents a significant departure for Minnesota's 18-year-old charter school experiment. It takes the experiment out of the garage and gives it a permanent home. Our fear is that the building could come to define the school, rather than the other way around. If buildings are needed, we need to put the taxpayer in the front row of desks. We want charters to exhaust unused public space before adding buildings to the public domain. And new charter facilities should fit into the community's long-term needs in the way that new district schools do. Charter schools are independent public schools whose sponsors generally espouse a unique educational theory or approach. They are to be nonsectarian and open to all and must meet statewide testing standards. They receive public funding but are freed from many restrictions, such as the length of the school year. Minnesota counted 152 charter schools, with 33,000 students, in the 2008-09 school year. This year's bill is in part a response to a Star-Tribune series that raised questions about the way some charter schools have set up affiliated companies to build and own facilities, even as the charter schools themselves were barred from such ownership. It raised questions about financing, conflicts of interest and whether some charters were getting big in order to produce the per-pupil, taxpayer-funded revenue stream that would pay for new construction. The bill takes the approach of allowing charter schools with a proven track record to buy or build facilities, using the "lease aid" that they now use to rent space. It clarifies that these buildings would be owned by the state in the event the charter school should fail. The bill requires that a charter school have a five-year track record to buy and an eight-year record to build. In addition, the charter school seeking its own building must meet a series of tests, including success on standardized testing, proven financial stability and enrollment projections. It sets up a state authority to review requests and a finance pool aimed at lowering interest rates. Sen. Kathy Saltzman, DFL-Woodbury, chair of the Senate's charter schools subcommittee and sponsor of the bill, said the intention is to provide some oversight and taxpayer protections on a building boom that has already begun. Joe Nathan, director of the Center for School Change at Macalester College, and who offered ideas to be included in the bill, said he believes taxpayers will save money because long-lived, successful charters will be paying a time-limited mortgage rather than an open-ended lease. Nathan said it is critical that the schools that will own buildings are deemed "worthy financially and educationally." These ideas all make sense — if we accept the underlying concept that charter schools are permanent, and must now move from the dream that sparked the school to the bricks and mortar that will house it. We understand that experiments can't stay in the garage and that owning can be cheaper than renting. But the bill, as it moves along, should not merely encourage but demand that charters first use unused public space. Ditto for cooperation between charters and school districts in using space. If the result of the bill is that new buildings are added to the public school inventory in places where they are not needed, taxpayers will not be well served. The best result would be that this bill fills up available public space, allows for purchase or construction in limited cases, and keeps charter schools focused on the mission of creating unique spheres of educational attainment. Detroit Public Schools to Spend $41.7M on Safety, Security
Chastity Pratt Dawsey,
Detroit Free Press
March 05, 2010 MICHIGAN: The Detroit Public Schools will spend about $41.7 million on improvements to safety and security over the next year, funded mostly by the $500.5-million construction bond voters approved in November, district officials announced. The improvements will include $6 million to build a 20,000-square-foot public safety department on the former Sherrard school site to be open in November, $17.3 million for high-tech surveillance cameras as well as $3.5 million for swipe identification badges for high school students and employees that will allow officials to better track attendance, according to Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager for DPS. The investment will result in about 100 remotely accessible digital cameras to be placed in high schools, 32 in kindergarten-grade 8 schools and two dozen in elementary schools. House Bill Offers School Construction Bonds Boost
Peter Schroeder and Audrey Dutton,
Bond Buyer
March 05, 2010 NATIONAL: The House approved a revised jobs bill that would allow issuers selling four types of tax-credit bonds to receive a direct Build America Bond-style subsidy payment from the federal government at a far higher rate than was proposed in the Senate version of the bill. The modified bill is “terrific,” said Michael Decker, managing director and co-head of the muni division of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. “It means that those products will actually be able to be used, because right now they’re not nearly being used to the extent that Congress intended.” Under the legislation, qualified school construction bonds, qualified zone academy bonds, new clean renewable energy bonds, and qualified energy conservation bonds could be issued as direct-pay bonds similar to BABs. The payment rate for the bonds would closely approximate their current tax-credit rate. Currently QSCBs and QZABs provide investors with tax credits of roughly 100% of interest costs. CREBs and QECBs offer credits roughly equal to 70% of interest costs. Under the programs, the Treasury Department determines a daily tax-credit rate based on taxable bonds with ratings ranging from single-A to triple-B from various market sectors. For QSCBs and QZABs, the jobs bill would require the Treasury to give issuers direct payments equal to the lesser of the actual interest rate of the bonds or the daily credit rate for municipal tax-credit bonds. For CREBs and QECBs, the Treasury would have to give issuers payments roughly equal to 70% of interest costs. Both of those rates exceed the ones that were in the Senate bill, which came under fire from muni market participants for providing no incentive for issuers to issue tax-credit bonds as BABs. Under the Senate bill, large issuers would have received a subsidy rate of 45% of interest costs and small issuers would have received a 65% rate. The bill defined small issuers as those that sell less than $30 million of bonds in the calendar year. Market participants had said issuers would not opt to issue the bonds as BABs if it meant practically halving the amount of the subsidy they could receive, and threw their support behind the House’s version of the bill with the far richer subsidy.
New York Announces $40 Million Recovery Act Funding to Improve Energy Efficiency in 118 Schools, Universities, and Colleges
Staff Writer,
Energy News
March 05, 2010 NEW YORK: New York Governor David A. Paterson announced a $40 million investment to improve the energy efficiency of the state’s schools, universities and colleges, hospitals and not-for-profit agencies. The 118 projects, funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), aim to reduce energy and operating costs by $13.5 million a year and provide a full return on investment within seven years. The announcement marks the second round of funding in the State Energy Program, taking the total investment to $74 million. The programme backs projects to install energy efficient lighting, improved heating and cooling systems, high efficiency biomass boilers and renewable energy technologies like photovoltaics, solar thermal and small wind turbines. Alternative fuelling stations and vehicles are also supported by the programme. “These funds will provide public and non-profit entities with critical resources needed to make long-term investments that will reduce their energy costs and save taxpayers money,” said Governor Paterson. Build New or Renovate. What To Do With Akron's King Elementary School?
Becky Tompkins,
West Side Leader
March 04, 2010 OHIO: To build new or to renovate? That was the main question that brought more than 100 people out on a snowy night to King Elementary School. It was the initial community planning meeting in a process that will eventually produce a renovated or a brand new King Community Learning Center. In attendance were Akron Public Schools District (APS) officials, school board members and former members, Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) and city of Akron representatives, architects and interested community members. King is next in the APS’ 12-year program to replace or renovate all of its school buildings, with the help of the 59 percent of the funding that is being provided by the state through the OSFC. The remainder of the money is coming from a voter-approved quarter-percent city income tax. The APS’ executive director of facility services and capital improvements, Paul Flesher, said 17 buildings have been completed, four more will be complete by the end of the summer, four are under construction and four are in the design phase. The completed buildings are called community learning centers (CLCs), not schools. When a woman at the King meeting expressed her desire to keep the name King School, APS Superintendent David James explained that since the city of Akron is providing tax money to help build them, the buildings are operated jointly and the Ohio Revised Code requires they be called CLCs. The new King, like other CLCs, will be open for community activities in the evening, on weekends and in the summer. But it is first and foremost a school, several officials stressed. The CLCs are all different, constructed to meet specific building programming needs and, as far as possible, wishes of the local community. King was built in 1923. Its high ceilings, transoms over doors, dark woodwork and painted brick walls give away its age. The 46,000-square-foot building is often crowded with its more than 400 students. Kindergarten and first-grade classes are housed in the basement, with no windows — a major problem, since the OSFC rules prohibit classrooms in basements or rooms without windows. Mark Salopek, an architect with GPD Associates — the consortium of architects who are working on the many buildings in this huge APS project — said that while no decisions have been made yet on any specifics, their proposal is for a building that will accommodate 400 students, prekindergarten through fifth grade. Salopek said they are aiming for ratios of one teacher for every 18 students in kindergarten through second grade and 1:22 in grades three through five, and this will require 58,000 square feet for additional classrooms. The OSFC will pay for only 50,000 square feet, Salopek said, so the APS District will fund the extra 8,000 square feet needed. One of the OSFC’s requirements is that the new or renovated building qualify for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification. This will require efforts in energy efficiency, daylighting, indoor air quality, and more, all of which will be funded by the OSFC. Salopek said the project would take approximately three years: around three months for programming review and planning, 11 to 14 months for design and 12 to 18 months for construction. $739 Million in Proposed and Ongoing School Construction Projects in the Pittsburgh Area
Mary Niederberger,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
March 04, 2010 PENNSYLVANIA: During a state-mandated public hearing last week on plans for a $113.3 million renovation and construction project at Mt. Lebanon High School, the group of about three dozen speakers appeared to be evenly divided among those for and against the project. The biggest concern among the opponents of the Mt. Lebanon project is the 14 percent hike in school property taxes -- from 24.11 to 27.52 mills -- that has been proposed to meet the project costs and other district obligations, including teacher pensions. The Mt. Lebanon debate may be echoed in other communities as the project is among the approximately $453 million in proposed major school construction projects in the region. In addition, at least $286 million in major school construction projects are currently under way, including new high schools in Bethel Park and Moon Area, renovated middle schools in Upper St. Clair and new elementary schools in the North Hills School District. Taxpayers, like those in Mt. Lebanon, get their chance to voice opinions on the projects as the state requires, under Act 34, known as the "Taj Mahal" act, that all districts hold a public hearing on any major construction projects. Topics at the hearing include an explanation of why the project is necessary; a review of options; project description and expected maximum cost, financing plans and tax implications. While most school construction projects involve some level of tax hike to finance them, there is good news for residents in districts preparing to go out to bid and some who have recently accepted bids. Because of the slow economy and dearth of other major construction projects in the region, more contractors are scrambling to bid on school projects, with the competition bringing prices down. School and construction officials can't say exactly why there is so much school construction either in the works or in the planning at this time, but some speculate that many districts are simply on the same cycle for refurbishing their facilities. "A lot of the suburbs around here built out at the same time and now the facilities are hitting that age where they need work," said David Hall, director of finance and operations for the North Hills School District. "We built most of our elementary facilities in the 1960s, they are 50 years old and worn out," he said. Other reasons for the construction and renovation projects involve updating the buildings to accommodate state-of-the-art technology, changes in educational programs, changing security needs and energy efficient equipment. The Aliquippa renovation included a new energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling system to replace the old boiler system. Some of the educational changes include special education programs, following the inclusion model, which brings special needs students back to their home districts, and full-day kindergarten, which requires more classroom space for kindergarten programs Economic Impact of New School Construction on Local Community Studied
Staff Writer,
Huber Heights Courier
March 03, 2010 OHIO: The Huber Heights City School District is planning on constructing five new K-6 elementary schools, a new middle school and a new high school at a cost of $159.1 million. The district wanted to know how this investment from Jan. 1, 2010 to August 2012 would affect the community outside of the schools, so they contracted with the Center for Urban & Public Affairs (CUPA) to conduct the economic impact of new school construction on the local economy. "I think that the economic study does a good job of that--what they call the ripple affect--because it does impact the motels, and the restaurants, the service stations and grocery stores and all those other periphials," said William Kirby, superintendent of Huber Heights City Schools. "So, when we have that many contractors coming in to help build schools, that many other service providers, I think the economic study shows that its millions of dollars that's going to be spent in our community over the next two-and-one-half years, as a result of what we are putting in the schools." The study estimates the construction project will generate a total of 1,944 jobs in Montgomery, Greene, and Miami counties related to the construction of the school buildings. It estimates that 1,113 laborers and professional employees will be directly related to the construction of the Huber Heights school buildings. Indirectly, 387 jobs will be created as a result of products and services (associated with the construction the Huber Heights facilities) purchased from area businesses. An additional 444 jobs will be created in the three-county area to support increased household spending generated by those workers affected directly and indirectly by the construction project. The total labor income is estimated in the study to be nearly $92 million. The direct effect of labor income supported by the school district construction is approximately $55.4 million, while nearly $36.5 million in wages and benefits is projected to be generated in indirect and induced effects - $19.9 million and $16.7 million, respectively. The study suggests that economic activity will also have a significant impact on tax revenues. The model estimates that $2.3 million will be generated indirectly by businesses as sales tax. The model also estimates that just over $2.2 million will be generated in the local economy as income tax revenues paid by employees. The study suggest that the total impact of new construction on the Huber Heights (zip code 45424) economy is estimated to be 668 jobs out of the 1,944 jobs generated. These jobs are estimated to generate $33.2 million in labor income. New building construction is also estimated to generate nearly $1.3 million in state and local sales and income tax revenues. New York City Charter School Space Costs
Kim Gittleson ,
Gotham Schools
March 03, 2010 NEW YORK: A recent report by the Independent Budget Office found that New York City charter schools that don’t use public space receive around $3,000 less per pupil than traditional public schools. This post reviews how much charter schools actually spend on their space. We created a database using financial information from the 2008-2009 annual financial audits and school siting statistics from the 2008-2009 Blue Book report produced by the School Construction Authority to catalog school space. We found that the 26 schools not housed in Department of Education-provided space spent around $2,100 per pupil on occupancy costs, which includes rent, utilities, safety, and maintenance. (You can see the full spreadsheet.) This database lists every charter school and whether or not it is in DOE space. As an added feature, for those in DOE space, it lists the schools with which they share space and their respective progress report scores. This $2,100 number only tells part of the story. According to a source who helps charter schools find private space, the market average for a charter school to lease space is between $2,400 and $3,500 per pupil. If the rental costs are less than $2,000 per pupil, this probably indicates that the school negotiated a great rental deal, bought the building a long time ago and paid off most of the mortgage, or has some sort of philanthropic money subsidizing part of the cost. This is certainly the case for many of the schools in our spreadsheet, such as the Carl C. Icahn Charter School or Bronx Preparatory Academy — both schools that have some sort of philanthropic entity helping them with their rental and/or purchase needs. Ultimately, this spreadsheet is intended to serve as a comprehensive resource for those who want to know which charter schools share space, which schools own their buildings, and which schools lease. It includes information gathered from the 2008-2009 Blue Book reports to determine co-located schools, as well as the 2008-2009 fiscal audits and the 2008-2009 Progress Report scores. Guilford, North Carolina Schools Want in on Federal Stimulus Spending Fun
Sam A. Hieb,
Carolina Journal
March 03, 2010 NORTH CAROLINA: Guilford County Schools is reviewing its list of projects that could be funded with federal bonds, entertaining the idea of using those bonds to pay for projects passed by voters in a 2008 local bond referendum. GCS stands to gain $34 million in no-interest Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB), which were authorized by the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Proceeds must be used for the construction, rehabilitation, or repair of public school facilities or the acquisition of land on which a school facility would be built. But some school system officials want to divert those funds to cover existing bond obligations. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction reports that the state received a total QSCB allocation of $275 million. Of that, $261 million has been passed along to school systems, with $34 million in total bonds being issued. The state’s top five county school systems — Cumberland, Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg, and Wake —were allocated a total of $88.4 million. The stimulus act also more than tripled funding for another federal school bond program. The Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) allocation went from $400 million annually nationwide to $1.4 billion for 2009, with an equal allocation coming in 2010. North Carolina in total received $44 million in QZAB. Of that total, $19 million has been allocated to 13 school systems. GCS’ $34 million in qualified school construction bonds will come in two $17 million installements, one for 2009 and another that is expected for 2010. Facilities director Leo Bobadilla told the Board of Education at a recent meeting that while the federal government will allow systems to carry over 2009 allocations, they will not be allowed to carry over 2010 allocations, creating what he described as a “use it or lose it” situation. Bobadilla and system chief financial officer Sharon Ozment presented the board with a list of projects that would qualify for QSCB funding, the majority of them heating and air conditioning improvements to several schools. Also included on the list were door, window, and roof replacements at several schools. Bobadilla also offered up another alternative, however — use some of the QSCB bonds to fund projects in a $457 million bond referendum approved by voters in 2008. Guilford County commissioners, who already have warned school officials to brace for another tight budget year, are pushing that alternative. Bobadilla suggested the proposed Northern Greensboro Elementary School, at a cost of $25 million, for QSCB funding. School board chairman Alan Duncan noted that switching new construction from the local bond to federal bonds would save taxpayers $6 million. “It’s very important to preserve our assets, because they’re the taxpayers’ assets,” Duncan said. But board member Nancy Routh questioned that notion, saying the money saved was only “imaginary money” because it was merely savings on debt service. “Theoretically it’s there, but there’s not $6 million somewhere in existence that the county could allocate for another project,” Routh said. In the end, the board voted 6-3 to approve the list of maintenance projects as presented by staff and present it to county commissioners. Still, as school systems across the state wait for their 2010 allocations, the big question is how quickly they will have access to funds. The economy is still slow, and the bond market remains down. rotatED: A Modular Schoolhouse That Can Roll Over on Its Side
Yuka Yoneda,
Inhabitat
March 02, 2010 UNITED KINGDOM: Rolling over is a pretty common trick for dogs to do, but have you ever seen a building do it? Well, architecture firm 3DReid and luxury treehouse makers Blue Forest have teamed up to show you one that can. rotatED, their plan for a modular schoolhouse, can rotate onto any of its seven sides, making it a space that is totally adaptable to many different activities. It will also allow the inhabitants of the space to select sustainable add-ons like solar panels for their customized designs. Developed as an external learning building at the BSEC School Construction conference, rotatED consists of a base that can be flipped in many different ways. Judging from the images, it also looks like it’s possible to open up certain sides of the structure to create an outdoor/indoor environment. Because of the modular design of the building, students and teachers will also have the opportunity to select their own desired external finishes, doors and screens as well as eco-features like photovoltaic panels. “The concept has been developed in response to feedback from pupils, staff and stakeholders seeking quality outdoor space that promotes healthy living, environmental awareness, social interaction and opportunities for personal development,” said Graham Edwards, divisional director at 3DReid. “The simplicity of this creative and flexible design enables pupils and staff to use and personalise the space in various ways to suit their needs. No two ‘rotatED’ will be the same.” Wichita, Kansas, School Construction Work a Lifeboat to Architects and Contractors
Dan Voorhis,
Wichita Eagle
March 02, 2010 KANSAS: The bleak news of 2009 has been replaced by a sunnier outlook this construction season for Wichita's architects and commercial contractors. The Wichita school bond will dump as much as $150 million into the local economy this year, according to a USD 259 official. Another $100 million will hit the market next year. Plus, there is bond construction under way in some neighboring districts, including Goddard. That money will replace the money that disappeared because of shopping centers, churches and apartment complexes that won't be built. It also means the owner of a $150,000 home in the Wichita district is paying almost $64 more per year in taxes. The first sizable Wichita school bond projects were approved late last year, and many more will start construction this year and next. It couldn't have come at a better time for the city's construction industry. As the economy and credit availability plunged in 2009, non-residential building permits in Wichita dropped by more than half from the year before. "I shudder to think where we'd be without it," said Beverly Sauerwein, vice president of Sauerwein Construction, which is building an addition to Clark Elementary. "It's a lifeboat." She estimated that the company's revenues fell by half or more from 2008 to 2009. She said it's a win for taxpayers who want value for their money. Bidding for the projects has been intense. Forty-two general contractors, 37 from Sedgwick County, got approval to bid. Scores more of electrical, mechanical and other subcontractors also received approval. Every bond project bid so far has come in under budget, said Julie Hedrick, director of design and construction for USD 259. Projects came in from 2 percent to 18 percent below estimates. "The schools are getting a great deal," Sauerwein said. She said that many of the companies aren't making much in the way of profit, but the cost-cutting is being shared by the subcontractors. One of those subcontractors, Kruse Corp., a heating, air-conditioning and plumbing contractor, is about to start work on the new Eisenhower High School in Goddard. The company has bid on the Wichita bond work but has not won any contracts yet. Work is pretty slow on traditional commercial projects, said company president Kent Kruse. He laid off 10 workers late last year but said that he will put more back on when he starts work on the high school. Without the school work, the company would have a much rougher time of it, he said. "I don't like to think about it," he said. "We got a great bunch of guys and they would have found something for us to do. But this is big." $1.5 Million Stimulus Bond Money Paying For North Carolina School HVAC Projects
Tom Woerner,
The Daily Record
March 02, 2010 NORTH CAROLINA: The Harnett County School Board approved spending more than $1.5 million in bond money for several different heating, ventillation and air conditioning projects. The board voted to spend the $1,517,700 on projects at eight schools. The money comes through qualified school construction bonds. The bonds will be repaid at no interest and are part of the federal stimulus program instituted last year by President Barack Obama. Stimulus Grant to Pay for Schools’ Green Special Needs Playgrounds
Adam Prestridge,
Brewton Standard
March 01, 2010 ALABAMA: Special needs children across the county will soon have the freedom to go down a slide and cross the monkey bars, activities that many take for granted, when the construction of four playgrounds is complete later this school year. The Escambia County Board of Education approved a $249,772 bid to Kidz Zone for construction of four special needs playgrounds at schools countywide including Rachel Patterson, A.C. Moore, Flomaton and W.S. Neal elementary schools. “The majority of our playgrounds are not (Americans Disabilities Act) compliant,” Suzanne Barnett, special education coordinator for Escambia County School System, said. “Students that have physical limitations, in wheelchairs or use walkers cannot readily access or play on the playgrounds independently.” The money for the project was made available through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, which are based on the population of special needs children in each county. There are currently 538 special needs children in Escambia County that meet IDA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) criteria, Barnett said. As part of standards set forth by the AARA, the project chosen by school systems had into include “innovative” and “instructional” materials for special needs children. “These are fully accessible playgrounds,” Barnett said. “Part of instruction is socializing with other children and learning how to play and interact with other children.” The playgrounds are also considered a “green projects,” Barnett said. All the materials used in the construction of the playgrounds are recycled materials mostly milk cartons. The playgrounds are also safe for the children with no exposed metal that resists heat and materials that do not splinter. The playgrounds will also be constructed on poured in place safety surfaces made out of chipped rubber, which have give in them in case of falls. Barnett said that the new playgrounds would afford the students in the county with special needs endless opportunities. “They will have the opportunity to access a playground with no limit or boundaries,” she said. “All students whether they are able to walk or not will be able to maneuver the safety zone due to the solid surfacing. Those same children will also have the freedom to move about the play structure without assistance, which many have never experienced before.” The project, which has been eight months in the making, is under a 120-day contract, but Barnett said Kidz Zone officials said it would take 6-8 weeks to construct all four projects, which will be built simultaneously. She added that it was a relief that the project will finally become a reality.
In Ruined Haiti Schools, Educators See Opportunity
Jonathan M. Katz,
Associated Press
March 01, 2010 HAITI: The Jan. 12 quake dealt a devastating blow to Haiti's already struggling schools: More than 80 percent in the earthquake zone were damaged or destroyed. All in Port-au-Prince and the other affected towns remain closed, and with tens of thousands of bored and restless children living in increasingly squalid encampments, patience is growing short. On Monday, a group of private school directors delivered a petition to President Rene Preval decrying the lack of government action and demanding schools reopen immediately — be they in tents, temporary buildings or other makeshift facilities. But some are urging caution before rushing back into a system that never really worked in the first place. "This is an opportunity in a lifetime to radically change the educational system in Haiti," said Marcelo Cabrol, head of the Inter-American Development Bank's education division. "We want to be aggressive." The problems are monumental: Just one in 10 Haitian teachers is a qualified educator, according to the IADB — and a third have not even completed ninth grade. The government is unable to support more than a handful of schools, leaving the system dominated by fly-by-night, for-profit storefront schools whose onerous fees and other costs keep half of Haiti's children from enrolling at any given time. Buildings were so unsafe that one school collapsed on its own in 2008, a year and three months before the quake, killing 100 students and adults. Wealthy Haitians and foreigners opt out entirely, putting their children in upscale schools that cost some $8,000 per year — more than most Haitians will spend on food and basic necessities in 20 years. Before the earthquake, Associated Press journalists visited classrooms in rickety warehouses, one with an open-pit toilet dug alongside the desks. In a private elementary school just blocks from the National Palace a teacher slumped in his chair, half asleep, while a teenage student scrawled rote Creole phrases on a flimsy blackboard. That school is gone now — one of the more than 3,800 damaged or destroyed in the quake. Nearly 4,000 students, and more than 700 teachers, principals and staff were killed during afternoon classes. All that's left of the Ministry of Education's main building is a crater filled with torn workbooks and lost teachers' ID cards. Education advocates see a chance for a fresh start. Senators Express Concern About Dismal Conditions in Struggling Indian Schools
Derek Wallbank ,
Minnesota Post
March 01, 2010 NATIONAL: All four federally supervised Indian schools in northern Minnesota failed to meet federal testing standards last year, yet they aren't likely to see much of the cash being doled out to public schools across the country under the Obama administration's signature education reform plan. Two of them are also sorely in need of physical repairs or replacement, and have been for years. Yet, at current funding levels, the money to fix them may not arrive for years, possibly decades. "No student in Minnesota should have to contend with mold problems or huge leaks, but that's what kids in some reservation schools deal with every day," said Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. "Students can't be expected to achieve at high levels when their school building is falling apart." The four schools, all in northern Minnesota, are among 183 schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education, which is managed under the Department of the Interior. The Bureau acts like a giant, nationwide school district, one of just two federal agencies that directly manage schools (the Department of Defense is the other). Indian schools face similar problems to those of rural schools — a difficulty in attracting top teachers not least among them — but also have unique challenges. The quality of life on many reservations is poor, with increased rates of unemployment, alcoholism and domestic violence, as well as lingering tensions between some tribes and the federal government that trace their way back through sometimes centuries of broken treaties and promises. But one particularly striking problem facing the schools is the quality of the school buildings themselves. About one-third of Indian schools — 64 in all, including Bug-O-Nay-Ge Shig School in Bena — are listed as being in "poor condition," but a lack of funding for school construction means it could be years, possibly decades until the school is brought up to an acceptable level. The math isn't pretty. President Obama's Fiscal 2011 budget proposed an effective cut of $9 million to Indian school construction. The estimated cost to replace a BIE school runs about $30 to $50 million, while the president's budget contains just $52.8 million for Indian school construction. The total cost of improving every "poor condition" school: $1.3 billion. "At this level of funding, it would take 30 years to clear the backlog" and bring all Indian schools into acceptable condition, said Indian Affairs Chairman Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. The Bureau of Indian Affairs maintains a separate, more critical "Replacement School Construction Priority" list, which ranks the 14 Indian schools in "most need of replacement of their core academic and/or dormitory facilities." The most recent list was published in March of 2004. Vacant Oklahoma City School Buildings For Sale
Staff Writer,
KSBITV.com
March 01, 2010 OKLAHOMA: The Oklahoma City Public School District has found a way to make a little more than $1 million without sacrificing jobs. Instead, several old buildings can now be yours for the right price. It comes with a playground and 32,000 square feet. What was once Creston Hills Elementary can be yours if you're willing to pay. The school that closed in 2003 as part of the MAPS plan is just one of the district's seven vacant buildings that are now up for sale. "We spend $30,000 per year in insurance alone for those buildings. We're also keeping the grounds and mowing the grass. We have maintenance folks that are constantly coming through to check on those buildings." says Tierney Cook, Public Relations Manager for OKCPS. Cook says it's a liability to keep up the vacant buildings. Plus, if all the properties sell at their appraised values, the district stands to make a little more than $1 million, which would come in handy in the midst of the district facing budget cuts. "This is one area we were really interested in to see if we could sell those buildings, which would alleviate that liability and also make the district some money," says Cook. Cook says the district also plans to sell another round of vacant buildings. While the buildings remain empty, staff members will check on them routinely to make sure no suspicious activity is taking place.
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