Facilities Construction

Transcription

1 The School District of Lee County has grown tremendously, especially the southern portion. With growth comes the need for additional facilities. Planning is key if the district is to have the facilities to meet its educational needs. A long-term facilities work program is needed to design, construct, and maintain quality facilities for the county s public school students. Conclusion The School District of Lee County is experiencing tremendous growth and anticipates this trend to continue. With growth comes the need for additional facilities. Due to significant repairs required in existing facilities, the district has not constructed needed schools, and as a result, finds itself at maximum capacity at most schools. Significant outlays are needed for new construction, as well as for other needs, such as remodeling, preventive maintenance of existing facilities, and planning; additional funding will be required. Over the last two years, the district has implemented effective project management procedures and explored various approaches to product delivery. The delivery approaches range from constructionmanagement-at-risk to design build. During the course of this review, ValienteHernandez P.A. identified a number of district accomplishments in the area of facilities construction, as shown in Exhibit Exhibit 10-1 The District Has Had Notable Accomplishments in Facilities Construction in the Last Two Years By applying frugal construction standards and management practices, the district has been awarded School Infrastructure Thrift (SIT) awards for three of the last four schools built. The district has expanded construction management capabilities by introducing construction-management-atrisk and design build to the repertoire of construction management approaches. The district has formalized the construction process to ensure best practices are met. Source: School District of Lee County. There are six major elements to a well-managed capital program: good information systems, comprehensive planning, a clear decision-making process that involves the public, expert project management, stable and sufficient funding, and regular monitoring and oversight. While the School District of Lee County has many of these elements in place, it needs to formalize the process and improve long-range planning. Overall, ValienteHernandez P.A. found that: Five-Year Facilities Work Program 1. The district has established a facilities planning committee. (Page 10-6) 2. The district is improving its strategic planning based on steps currently underway. (Page 10-7) ValienteHernnadez P.A. 10-1

2 3. The five-year facilities work plan should reflect input from the facilities planning committee and fit within the district s master plan. (Page 10-9) 4. The five-year facilities work program has incorporated thorough demographic studies into enrollment projections. (Page 10-12) 5. In the past, the five-year facilities work program was not based on an evaluation of physical conditions or the ability of facilities to meet educational needs. (Page 10-14) 6. The district evaluates alternatives to new construction when developing the annual five-year work program. (Page 10-16) 7. District planning does not prioritize construction needs. (Page 10-18) 8. The district demonstrates that its construction program complies with Florida law. (Page 10-19) 9. For all projects with dates of construction contracted after March 1, 2002, the district can demonstrate that the construction program complies with the Florida Building Code, however compliance should be assured in the five year plan. 1 (Page 10-20) 10. The school board ensures responsiveness to the community through open communication about the construction program and the five-year facilities work program. (Page 10-21) Educational Specifications 11. The district develops educational specifications for each individual construction project. (Page 10-21) 12. Educational specifications for new construction, remodeling, and renovations include most, but not all, descriptions of activity areas. (Page 10-22) 13. Architectural design fulfills building specification needs as determined by the district. (Page 10-23) 14. New construction, remodeling, and renovations incorporate effective safety features. (Page 10-24) Selection and Acquisition of School Sites 15. The district needs to begin school site selection well in advance of future needs based on expected growth patterns. (Page 10-24) 16. The board considers the most economical and practical locations based on current and anticipated needs, including such factors as needed to exercise eminent domain, obstacles to developments, and agreements with adjoining counties. (Page 10-26) Construction Cost 17. The district has not established and implemented accountability mechanisms to ensure the performance efficiency, and effectiveness of its construction program. (Page 10-26) 18. The district implemented the general requirements recommended in the SMART Schools Clearinghouse Frugal Construction Standards. (Page 10-28) 19. The district minimizes construction costs through the use of prototype school designs and frugal construction practices. (Page 10-30) 20. The district secures appropriate professional services to assist in facility planning, design, and construction. (Page 10-31) 21. Funds collected for school projects are raised appropriately. (Page 10-33) 1 The original compliance date of January 1, 2002 was delayed for three months ValienteHernandez P.A

3 Completion of Projects on Time and Within Budget 22. The district has provided realistic time frames for implementation that are coordinated with the opening of schools. (Page 10-34) 23. For each project or group of projects, the architect and district facilities planner develop conceptual site plans and building specifications. (Page 10-34) 24. The district follows generally accepted and legal contracting practices to control costs. (Page 10-35) 25. The district has assigned one person with the authority and responsibility to keep facilities construction projects within budget and on schedule. (Page 10-37) 26. The board minimizes changes to facilities plans after final working drawings are initiated in order to minimize project costs. (Page 10-38) 27. The architect recommends payment based on the percentage of work completed, with a percentage of the payment withheld pending project completion. (Page 10-39) 28. The district requires appropriate inspection of all school construction projects. (Page 10-39) Construction Program Training and Evaluation 29. The district should conduct a comprehensive orientation for a new facility prior to its opening so users better understand the building design and function. (Page 10-40) 30. While there is an informal walk-through at the completion of the first year of operation, the district does not perform comprehensive evaluations regularly during the next three to five years to collect information about building operation and performance. (Page 10-41) 31. The district does not analyze new building evaluations to determine whether facilities are fully used, operating costs are minimized, or changes in the district s construction planning process are needed. (Page 10-42) 32. The district has no process in place for comparing maintenance and operations costs of recently completed projects for the purpose of identifying and implementing cost-saving measures on a district-wide basis. (Page 10-43) Fiscal Impact of Recommendations The recommendations for improving the district s facilities construction program will have an anticipated cost of $100,000. Exhibit 10-2 Implementing the Recommendations for Facilities Construction Will Have a Five-year Fiscal Impact of $100,000 Investment for a One-time Cost Fiscal Impact: Cost Savings/Increased Revenues or (Increased Costs) Fiscal Year Action Plan and Strategy Total Cost 10-6 Conduct a facilities audit $(100,000) $0 $0 $0 $0 $(100,000) Totals $(100,000) $0 $0 $0 $0 $(100,000) ValienteHernandez P.A. 10-3

4 Background The district has 37 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, 10 high schools, 4 exceptional student schools, 4 vocational schools, 15 other education centers, and 8 auxiliary buildings. The district s schools cover approximately 7.8 million net square feet and serve a population of 54,906 students, for about 142 square feet per student. The district s square foot per student ratio is close to the averages of the peer districts. (See Exhibit 10-3). Exhibit 10-3 Square Feet Per Student is Comparable to Peer Districts School district Total net square feet Total students Net square feet Per student Lee 7,849,961 54, Brevard 9,396,580 68, Pasco 6,723,255 46, Polk 12,370,238 77, Seminole 7,512,994 58, Volusia 7,507,249 59, Peer Average (without Lee) 140 Source: Florida Inventory of School Houses, June 11, In 1999, the district ended a 35-year-old federal desegregation order by implementing a school choice program. Required until at least 2004, the school choice program divides the district into three large geographic choice zones. Students' home residence determines which zone among the three zones is available for parental choice of schools. The district has faced many challenges in preparing its five-year work plan. In 1999, the district lost two key administrators. Fire safety compliance issues at 35 schools, along with many other safety-to-life issues, added further complications and led to significant adjustments to the plan. Another major challenge for the district has been the area s rapid growth rate and the widening gap between DOE enrollment projections and the number of new students in the district. The district has grown tremendously, especially in the southern portion. An increase of approximately 11,500 students is expected within five years, with a similar number of new students anticipated during the following fiveyear period. This growth rate has significantly expanded the need for additional school facilities. Exhibit 10-4 shows the planned expenditures for renovations, remodeling, and new construction projects for the district through New construction complies with small school requirements of Florida Statutes. Exhibit 10-4 Planned Expenditures for Renovations, Remodeling and New Construction Year Project Planned Cost Student Stations Gross Square Footage GSF/per Student Station 2002/2003 East Zone Elementary 6,571, , South Zone Elementary 6,571, , South Zone Middle 10,547, , West Zone Middle 10,547, , /2004 East Zone High School 18,425, , South Zone Elementary 6,747, , ValienteHernandez P.A

5 Year Project Planned Cost Student Stations Gross Square Footage GSF/per Student Station 2004/2005 West Zone High School 18,906, , /2006 East Zone Middle 11,400, , South Zone Elementary 7,100, , West Zone High School 18,710, , Source: School District of Lee County Facilities Five-Year Work Program. Strategic planning to coordinate the design, construction, and maintenance of quality facilities are critical if the district is to meet the educational needs of Lee County s public school students. At the same time, a mission and goals establish the framework through which the district s facilities construction department operates. The mission of a typical construction department is to provide new and modernized facilities at the lowest possible cost. Specific goals may include: establishing policies and a framework for long-range facilities planning providing valid enrollment projections to estimate future facilities needs selecting and acquiring proper school sites and timing their acquisition to coincide with anticipated needs while not wasting space assessing the capacity and adequacy of existing facilities and to evaluate alternatives to new construction developing educational specifications architects can use to design facilities for the intended uses securing architectural services to assist in planning and constructing facilities developing a capital planning budget that balances facility needs and costs, and determining how those costs will be financed translating architectural plans into quality school buildings, on time and within the budget conducting orientation programs for new facilities so that uses will better understand how the buildings are supposed to work The remainder of this chapter evaluates the district s facilities construction program and recommends improvements. Methodology To determine if the facilities construction program is meeting the Best Financial Management Practices, ValienteHernandez P.A. conducted seven site visits, interviewed the assistant superintendent of Support Services, the director of Construction, the facilities planner, and support staff. Research also included Florida law and industry information. ValienteHernandez P.A. surveyed board members, district staff, school principals, teachers, School Advisory Committee (SAC) members, parents, and students to receive program input. Questions varied depending on the group, and the results have been incorporated into this chapter, where applicable. ValienteHernandez P.A. 10-5

6 Five-Year Facilities Work Program 1 The district has established a facilities planning committee. The facilities planning committee can be the most valuable resource a district has in its facilities construction function. District-wide standing committees like these typically include members of the business community, parents groups, city and county authorities, and district staff. Such committees provide a base of support for the district s long-range planning and enhance community understanding of educational facility needs. The district has three standing committees that deal with long-range facilities planning and budgeting for capital improvement projects. The Capital Planning Committee assesses the district s long-range facility needs and makes recommendations to the school board. The committee is made up of school board members, the construction director, a facilities planner, a demographer, and budget director, among others. The Projects Committee monitors capital projects from inception to completion. The design team, made up of a representative from the construction and planning department and the contractor begins work after the school board has approved a project, and meets weekly to review project status and budgetto-actual expenditures. Additionally, the district has a Construction Advisory Committee, which offers suggestions and support for the five-year capital plan, reviews proposed new construction and renovation projects, and advises on safety-to-life compliance. This committee has 15 members from across the county with building and trades industry experience. The district needs to document the role of the capital planning committee in developing long-range construction plans. The committee s planning tools should include the plant survey, facilities priorities, maintenance needs, and budgets. The district also needs to document the relationship between the capital planning committee, the projects committee, and the construction advisory committee, as well as the role of each committee in construction planning. Additionally, the planning process needs to be formalized. At the same time, the district lacks a long-term strategic plan that focuses district goals and resources on meeting future student capacity needs. As recommended in Action Plan 10-3, the plan should anticipate the locations of new facilities, consider joint-use options, population growth forecasts, sources of capital funds, number of student stations created, and projected construction dates. To accomplish all that, the district should be certain the committee: Has a written charter, along with goals and reporting procedures so members understand their responsibilities Has board-established goals and interim reporting targets Documents its decisions and reports to the board Addresses future business needs and the resulting educational program requirements Addresses alternative solutions and the feasibility of each Periodically reviews the status of the long-range plan for the previous year to consider changing parameters, and recommends necessary adjustments to the school board Can appoint ad-hoc members to work with subcommittees thus keeping the permanent membership smaller and more manageable 10-6 ValienteHernandez P.A

7 Ensures all stakeholders, including students, parents, and teachers, are represented as both permanent and ad-hoc members Recommendations We recommend the district establish written criteria and procedures that clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each committee and the relationships between committees. This recommendation should be presented to the school board for approval. Action Plan 10-1 provides the steps needed to implement this recommendation. Action Plan 10-1 Define Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships Between Committees Strategy Establish written procedures defining the committee s roles and responsibilities. Clearly define the relationships between committees. Action Needed Step 1: Assistant superintendent develops written criteria and procedures for the committee, to include: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Committee member roles and project responsibilities Board-established goals and interim reporting targets Procedures for documenting decisions and reporting to the board Periodic status reviews of long-range plan of the previous year to consider changing parameters, while recommending school board adjustments to the long-range plan Present proposed policy to the board for approval. Superintendent directs capital planning committee activities. Director of Construction and Planning coordinates committee activities. Who Is Responsible assistant superintendent for Support Services, director of Construction and Planning Time Frame April 30, 2003 Fiscal Impact Recommendation can be implemented within existing resources. 2 The district is improving its facilities planning based on steps currently underway. Effectively managing a school district s facilities planning requires a solid framework, which includes: A standing capital planning committee made up of a broad base of stakeholders Written procedures for developing an organizational chart Clearly defined responsibilities and lines of authority The district s organizational chart (Exhibit 10-5) provides for a director of Construction and Planning who reports to the assistant superintendent of Support Services, and construction managers and facilities planner who report directly to the director. Long-range facilities planning and budgeting for capital improvement projects are the shared responsibilities of the district s director of Construction and Planning and the facilities planner. As other district staff members are assigned planning duties, their job descriptions should be revised to include those new responsibilities. ValienteHernandez P.A. 10-7

8 While lines of communication and authority are clearly defined, no formal procedures are in place for developing the district s long-range facilities plan. It is very important to establish written facilities planning procedures since a number of school officials are involved and significant resources are at stake. Among other issues, these procedures should address assessing facility needs, site selection, and communicating and coordinating with other government and public agencies. Moreover, establishing these procedures will: Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the planning function Activate the lines of authority established in the organizational chart Open communications among the district s facilities planners As recommended in Action Plan 10-1, the district needs to document that a responsibility of the capital planning committee is to develop long-range construction plans. The committee s planning tools will include the plant survey, facility priorities, maintenance needs, and budgets. Exhibit 10-5 Construction Services Organizational Chart Director Construction Services Construction Manager I Construction Manager II Construction Manager III Construction Manager IV Facilities Planner Secretary Junior Accountant Document Specialist Source: School District of Lee County. The district lacks a long-term strategic plan that addresses future student capacity needs. The strategic plan should be comprehensive and include the anticipated general location of new facilities, joint use considerations, population growth, sources of capital funds, number of student stations created, and projected construction dates. The plan should focus district goals and resources on meeting future student capacity needs. Action Plan 10-3 addresses this issue. Recommendations We recommend the district establish written procedures for the facilities function, as shown in the organizational chart, and update job descriptions to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each position. Action Plan 10-2 provides the steps needed to implement this recommendation. We also recommend that the district develop a comprehensive long-term strategic plan for facilities construction. Action Plan 10-3 provides the steps needed to implement this recommendation ValienteHernandez P.A

9 Action Plan 10-2 Update Organizational Chart and Establish Written Procedures for Facilities Planning Strategy The district needs to update its organizational chart, and job descriptions to accurately reflect the desired design of the facilities planning process. Establish procedures that will provide a desired framework for carrying out the facilities planning function of the district. Action Needed Step 1: Establish an organizational chart that considers facilities planning and accurately reflects the framework of the function. Step 2: Prepare written procedures that will: Step 3: Clarify the role and responsibilities of the planning function for both staff and the school board Provide for the implementation of the lines of responsibility as show in the organizational chart Provide for regular lines of communication among the managers that report to the director of facilities Provide for regular lines of communications among the directors and supervisors that report to an assistant superintendent Periodically review policies in order to keep them current and eliminate any that are outdated. Who Is Responsible assistant superintendent for Support Services Time Frame April 30, 2003 Fiscal Impact Recommendation can be implemented within existing resources. Action Plan 10-3 Develop a Comprehensive Long-term Strategic Plan for Facilities Construction Strategy Develop a comprehensive long-term strategic plan for facilities construction. Action Needed Step 1: Review long-term student capacity needs for the district. Step 2: Prepare a long-term strategic plan that: Step 3: Identifies growth areas and student capacity needs by area Identifies future sites for building facilities Identifies how capital funding will be obtained and used Identifies number of new student stations that will be created Identifies joint use considerations Projects construction dates for new facilities Periodically review the strategic plan to keep it current. Who Is Responsible assistant superintendent for Support Services, director of Construction and Planning Time Frame April 30, 2003 Fiscal Impact Recommendation can be implemented within existing resources. 3 The five-year facilities work program should reflect input from the facilities planning committee and fit within the district s master plan. Previous five-year work program was not based on input from the facilities planning committee A school district needs to have an educational facilities program that provides an integrated long-range facilities plan, including a survey of projected needs and a 5-year work program. The purpose of the educational facilities program is to keep the school board, local governments, and the public fully ValienteHernandez P.A. 10-9

10 informed as to whether the district is using sound policies and practices that meet the essential needs of students and that warrant public confidence in district operations. The educational facilities program will be monitored by the Office of Educational Facilities and SMART Schools Clearinghouse, which will also apply performance standards pursuant to s , Florida Statutes. The educational facilities program includes long-range planning for facilities needs over 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year periods. The program must be developed in coordination with the general-purpose local governments and be consistent with local government comprehensive plans. The school board s plan for provision of new schools must meet the needs of all growing communities in the district. The program must include: Projected student populations apportioned geographically at the local level An inventory of existing school facilities, identifying anticipated expansions or closures over 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year periods Projections of facilities space needs, which may not exceed the norm space and occupant design criteria established in the State Requirements for Educational Facilities Information on leased, loaned, and donated space, as well as relocatables used for conducting the district s instructional programs The general location of public schools proposed to be constructed over the 5-year, 10-year, and 20- year time periods, including a list of the proposed schools site acreage needs and anticipated capacity and maps showing the general locations The identification of options deemed reasonable and approved by the school board which reduce the need for additional permanent student stations The criteria and method, jointly determined by the local government and the school board, for determining the impact of proposed development to public school capacity The program must also include a financially feasible district facilities work program for a 5-year period. The work program must include: A schedule of major repair and renovation projects necessary to maintain the district educational and ancillary facilities A capital funding plan that establishes not-to-exceed spending levels consistent with each particular project and with state standards for construction. A schedule of capital outlay projects necessary to ensure the availability of satisfactory student stations for the projected student enrollment in K-12 programs, including locations, capacities, and planned utilization rates of current facilities, proposed locations of planned facilities, and recommendations for infrastructure, as well as other improvements to land adjacent to existing facilities Plans for the use and location of relocatable, leased, and charter school facilities Plans for multitrack scheduling, grade level organization, block scheduling, or other alternatives that reduce the need for additional permanent student stations Information concerning average class size and utilization rate by grade level, which will result if the tentative district facilities work program is fully implemented The number and percentage of district students planned to be educated in relocatable facilities during each year of the tentative district facilities work program Plans for the closure of any school Projects for which capital outlay and debt service funds accruing under s. 9(d), Art. XII of the State Constitution are to be used shall be identified separately in priority order on a project priority list within the district facilities work program ValienteHernandez P.A

11 The current program, covering the period of September 29, 2000 through the school year, was impacted by the loss of two key administrators. Fire safety compliance issues at 35 schools, along with many other safety-to-life issues, further complicated this process. A major challenge for the district has been the rapid student growth rate and the dissonance between DOE enrollment projections and the actual number of students migrating into the district. In 1999, the district ended a 35-year-old desegregation order by the Federal Court by implementing a school choice program. The program requires the district to maintain three separate zones until at least There is unequal growth among the zones, resulting in schools being over capacity in two zones, with student stations available in the other. While the district has a five-year work program, it is not the result of long-range planning. For the report, the district team assigned to produce the report did not have the expertise or the tools needed to produce an accurate report. As previously discussed, the involvement of a facilities planning committee is important to effectively plan for the future needs of the district. The development of the five-year work program, based on a long-range plan, must be a top priority of the capital planning committee. The plan needs to be updated annually based on the committee s input regarding the district s evolving needs. Recommendations We recommend the district use the facilities evaluation process and the district s facility planning committee to assist with the setting of priorities within the five-year work program. Further, the district should establish 10- and 20-year plans in addition to the five-year work program (capital plan). Action Plan 10-4 provides the steps needed to implement this recommendation. We recommend the school district establish not-to-exceed spending levels that are consistent with each particular project and with state standards for construction. Action Plan 10-5 provides the steps needed to implement this recommendation. Action Plan 10-4 Development of the Five-year Work Program Strategy Use the facilities evaluation process and the district s facility planning committee to assist with priority setting within the five-year work program. Action Needed Step 1: Establish a committee to develop long-range facility plans. Step 2: Committee should utilize new plant survey and district s assessment of needs to develop five-year work program. Step 3: Present new five-year plan to the board for approval. Step 4: Develop a ten- and twenty-year facilities plan using the same evaluation process. Who Is Responsible Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent for Support Services Time Frame July 31, 2003 Fiscal Impact Recommendation can be implemented within existing resources. Action Plan 10-5 School Board Should Establish Not-to-exceed Spending Levels Strategy The board should establish not-to-exceed spending levels that are consistent with state standards for construction. ValienteHernandez P.A

12 Action Needed Step 1: Develop proposed not-to-exceed spending levels that are consistent with state standards for construction. Step 2: Draft policy establishing spending levels that are consistent with state standards. Step 3: Submit policy to board for approval. Who Is Responsible School board, superintendent, assistant superintendent for Support Services, director of Construction and Planning Time Frame March 31, 2003 Fiscal Impact Recommendation can be implemented within existing resources. 4 The five-year facilities work program has incorporated thorough demographic studies into enrollment projections. Thorough demographic studies are conducted as a part of the five-year facilities work program The Educational Plant Survey (the survey) is the primary facilities planning document prepared by the school district. The State of Florida requires that this type of survey be conducted at least once every five years. The district s newest plant survey is due in April The state maintains the Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH) report based on the surveys from this and other districts. The 1998 survey includes enrollment projections that were used as the basis for facility needs between the and school years. The DOE provided the projected enrollment. The method used to predict the capital outlay full time equivalent (COFTE) student membership for the next five years is an adaptation of the cohort survival technique used by the United States Census Bureau (US Census). Research evidence and experience support this technique as the best method of predicting future COFTE student membership, which incorporates the number of live births, and uses historical trends to project enrollment by grade, or cohort, for Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) through Grade 12. The DOE projections are not based on a thorough demographic study or on city/county comprehensive plans. For instance, migration is not factored into the enrollment projections, neither are demographic characteristics such as ethnicity and economic status. The district has addressed this by hiring a demographer as a consultant to assist the district with demographic and planning analyses. The district also employs its own staff to gather information about current and projected enrollments. Factors considered include data provided by the Florida Department of Education, migration, demographic characteristics, and city/county comprehensive plans. The district created the Student Capacity Needs Committee to assess the current situation and to report its findings and recommendations for housing the 2,400 to 2,900 additional students expected in the school year. In November 2001, the committee reported its findings and recommendations. Those recommendations essentially suggest that there was neither time nor capital funding available to make significant changes to school capacity, therefore, schools would be asked to accommodate the increased enrollment within the existing facilities. In January 2002, the committee reconvened to study possible solutions to the student capacity needs for years and beyond. The committee divided into five sub-committees to conduct in-depth analysis of the following issues: Projecting the student station and capital funding needs of the district by zone and level for the 10- year period, through Opportunities and constraints associated with restructuring the current K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 grade level groupings into K-6, 7-9, and grade groupings ValienteHernandez P.A

13 Opportunities and constraints associated with employing a multi-track, year-round calendar to accommodate more students within existing facilities Opportunities and constraints associated with remodeling and/or resizing facilities to increase student stations Opportunities and constraints associated with employing double sessions as a method for accommodating more students in targeted (zone, timing, level) circumstances The findings of the committee were presented to the board while this review was being conducted, and the board is expected to accept the report. While the committee did an excellent job of analyzing the issues mentioned above, it was not able to reach a consensus on recommending an approach that best meets the needs of the district and its students. Exhibit 10-6 is a summary of the committee s findings under the traditional grade groupings and calendar. Exhibit 10-6 Student Projections Compared to FISH (Florida Inventory of School Houses) Capacity FISH Capacity Net Enrollment Projected Enrollment Five-Year School Needs 1 Projected Enrollment Ten-Year School Needs 1 District Zone Utilization Rate EAST Elementary 4,780 4, % 6, ,406 1 Middle 1,779 2, % 3, ,471 0 High 3,466 2,950 85% 4, ,867 1 WEST Elementary 10,002 9,931 99% 11, ,722 5 Middle 4,980 5, % 6, ,978 1 High 5,588 5, % 7, ,597 1 SOUTH Elementary 9,768 8,821 90% 10, ,108 3 Middle 4,336 4, % 5, ,062 1 High 6,100 6, % 8, ,221 2 District Total 50,799 51, % 63, , Based on small school legislation, requiring districts to build schools at the following capacities: 500 elementary, 700 middle, 900 high school. Source: School District of Lee County, Ten Year Projection and Alternative Reponses, Zones are used for planning In 1997, the school board adopted a controlled open-enrollment method of student assignment. It is designed to give parents an opportunity to select appropriate educational program options for their children and to promote stability of assignments for students. School Choice differs from the traditional boundary method of student assignment in two important ways. First, School Choice assures parents that once students are enrolled in a school, they may remain in that school to the highest grade available unless: 1) they choose to leave, 2) they move out of the zone, or 3) they require placement in an alternative program. Second, School Choice promotes academic improvement and accountability through constructive competition. The School Choice Plan divides the district into three large geographic choice zones. Students' home residence determines which set of schools, among the three zones, are available for parental choice. ValienteHernandez P.A

14 Student zone identifiers are used to estimate the number of students that must be accommodated in each zone, by level. Additional information about school choice may be found in Chapter 1. Enrollment projections are based on comprehensive plans for land use and development Local comprehensive plans are utilized in projecting enrollment for facilities. The facilities planner is responsible for tracking new residential development in rapidly growing metropolitan areas and assessing the impact upon the district. This planner also acts as the liaison between the district and the county, state, and regional planning councils, as well as the five area municipalities. The facilities planner reviews and makes recommendations to the district on the following: Land use Geographical limitations and developable land Local ordinances that regulate the growth of the area Forecast of economic conditions reported by the private sector Vocational opportunities in the community Availability of community services Major highway and street networks and their probable future development In accordance with ss and (6)(h)1 and 2, Florida Statutes, the district has entered into an interlocal agreement with the Lee County Commission, and the City or Town Council of the municipalities of Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Sanibel. The agreement develops procedures that will be utilized to improve and coordinate public school facilities planning and land use planning through joint meetings, student enrollment and population projections, coordinating and sharing information, school site selection, supporting infrastructure, comprehensive plan amendments, rezonings, and development approvals, the educational plan survey and five-year facilities work program, and co-location and shared use. As discussed in Best Practice 1, the district lacks a long-term strategic plan that addresses future student capacity needs. The strategic plan should be a comprehensive plan including the anticipated general location of new facilities, joint use considerations, population growth, sources of capital funds, number of student stations created, and projected construction dates. The plan should focus district goals and resources on meeting future student capacity needs. The long-term plan will also be needed to satisfy requirements of the educational facilities plan. Action Plan 10-3 addresses this issue. 5 In the past, the five-year facilities work program was not based on an evaluation of physical conditions and the ability of facilities to meet educational needs. The district is currently completing its plant survey to update and validate the district s FISH data. To ensure optimal use of building capacity, FISH data, in conjunction with facility site reviews, needs to be used to analyze and identify instructional areas or teaching stations and to identify buildings and/or spaces that do not count as satisfactory areas, or, areas in which the space of a station does not exceed the normal space and occupant design established by the State Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF). The district conducts a 5-year plant survey and annual safety inspections. However, these processes do not collect the types of information that would be available through a formal evaluation of existing facilities (also referred to as facility audits or facility appraisals). A facilities audit applies a formal ValienteHernandez P.A

15 methodology in evaluating and grading all aspects of facilities, including the school site, structural and mechanical features, plant maintainability, school building safety and security, educational adequacy, and a proper environment for education. These audits are useful in identifying facility needs that are not defined through current inspection and survey programs. A facilities evaluation will provide district staff with more specific information on facility needs for each school in the district, and allow for a better information base to use in planning future maintenance projects. More frequent facility audits or assessments based on formal evaluation criteria will also provide the district with a more comprehensive list of its facility needs. An evaluation commonly used is the Guide for School Facility Appraisal, adopted by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International. This evaluation instrument assigns a score of 1 to 100 to each facility based on detailed analyses of the five categories previously mentioned. As discussed in Best Practice 1, the district lacks a long-term strategic plan that addresses future student capacity needs. The strategic plan should be a comprehensive plan including the anticipated general location of new facilities, joint use considerations, population growth, sources of capital funds, number of student stations created, and projected construction dates. The plan should focus district goals and resources on meeting future student capacity needs. Action Plan 10-3 addresses this issue. Recommendations We recommend the district conduct a complete evaluation of facilities using a comprehensive format, to include, as a minimum: - Structural design and integrity - Mechanical systems - Electrical systems - Finishes - Safety - ADA requirements - Educational suitability - Utilization/satisfaction - Technological readiness - Site adaptability - Site size and layout - Space (size, number, utility, and flexibility of various areas in the facility and the relationships of these areas to each other) - Light, heat, and air - Acoustics - Aesthetics - Equipment - Availability of utilities ValienteHernandez P.A

16 - Hazardous materials - Maintenance - Structural adequacy - Future expandability (including adaptability to change) - Fire safety - Any other health, sanitation, safety issues - Future operational and maintenance costs considerations Upon completion of the district-wide evaluation of all facilities, we recommend the district prioritize their needs and compile a district-wide ranking for replacement and/or renovation to be included in the five-year work program. Action Plan 10-6 provides the steps needed to implement this recommendation. Action Plan 10-6 Comprehensive Evaluation and Ranking of Facilities Strategy Conduct a complete evaluation of facilities using a comprehensive format and develop a detailed, uniform checklist of the evaluation criteria, and utilize the results of these evaluations to prioritize needs to be included in the five-year work program. Action Needed Step 1: Update and verify FISH data. Step 2: Conduct a complete evaluation of facilities using a comprehensive checklist. The list should include items listed in the text. Step 3: This evaluation instrument should assign a score of 1 to 100 to each facility based on detailed analyses. Step 4: Utilize this information in preparing five-year work program. Who Is Responsible Assistant Superintendent for Support Services, Director of Construction and Planning Time Frame July 31, 2003 Fiscal Impact We estimate a cost of approximately $100,000, based on a similar evaluation study conducted in another school district (Martin). 6 The district evaluates alternatives to new construction when developing the annual five-year work program. The district has had to implement many alternatives to new construction. As a result, school s are near capacity or over capacity in all three zones. These alternatives, including extended day schedules, yearround schools, and changes in grade configuration are being examined in order to fully utilize existing facilities. The district has relied heavily on alternatives to construction. Current projections show the district needing 21 additional schools by 2006 (see Exhibit 10-6). The district s prime alternative to new construction has been the utilization of relocatable classrooms, having used up to 200 such units in the recent past. The district has established a goal of eliminating the number of relocatables. As noted in its strategic plan, the district wants to reduce the leased relocatable inventory completely by July 1, However, as of the completion of this report (October 2002), the leased relocatables were not completely eliminated. The district is revisiting its position on relocatables, which would provide a short-term solution to capacity problems at select schools. The district should give consideration to the use of multi-track year-round programs in its schools as one method to address student growth. Research in the field clearly reveals that school districts can save ValienteHernandez P.A

17 construction funds through multi-track year-round schooling. The research regarding the educational impact of year-round schooling reveals somewhat less clearly that it can have a positive impact on student achievement or at least no negative impact. Major costs are avoided by using a year-round multi-track approach. If the district does not have to build a new school, it avoids the cost associated with building design, engineering, construction, furnishing, as well as infrastructure. There are, however, additional costs associated with operating a year-round school. The district has recently completed a study on student capacity needs, called the Ten-Year Projection and Alternative Responses. The district team has estimated that, in addition to feasibility studies, administrative planning time, and teacher in-service training, a multi-track, modified year calendar would also require an $8 million upgrade to the central computer system to accommodate more complicated processes. In a typical multi-track school operating four tracks on a 45/15 schedule (students attend for 45 days, then have a vacation for 15 days, with one-fourth of all students on vacation at any one time), the school is in operation 242 days each year, as an opposed to the 180 days for a regular school. Thus, maintenance, repair, and utility expenses increase; secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, counselors, bus drivers, and other staff must be available for the full 12 months, with proportionate increases in salaries. Consideration must also be given to increased transportation costs, calculated to be an annual increase of approximately $720,000 per school (this figure was extracted from the Lee study mentioned previously). Extended day schedules increase the capacity of individual schools by lengthening the school day for the facility, although not for the individual student. An extended-day school may have nine periods of instruction; with a group that attends school for periods one through six and another group that attends from three through nine. Implementing a version of extended-day schedules at schools experiencing substantial student enrollment increases could reduce the need for new school construction. The district is also reviewing opportunities and constraints associated with remodeling or resizing facilities to increase student stations. An analysis of the district s schools identified 12 sites with varying potential for expansion. The analysis estimates additional student stations of 1,350 elementary seats, 706 middle school seats, and 1,995 high school seats. The district currently has a relocatable campus at North Ft. Myers Academy that could contribute additional student stations of 1,054 seats in the West zone if the campus was maintained in the short-term. The relocatable campus was installed while the new permanent campus is being constructed. All of the alternatives to construction would provide the district with a short-term solution to overcrowding. But, these alternatives do not correct the problem. The district needs to ensure that permanent student stations are added in the long-term strategic plan. As discussed in Best Practice 1, the district lacks a long-term strategic plan that addresses future student capacity needs. The strategic plan should be a comprehensive plan including the anticipated general location of new facilities, joint use considerations, population growth, sources of capital funds, number of student stations created, and projected construction dates. The plan should focus district goals and resources on meeting future student capacity needs. Action Plan 10-3 addresses this issue. Additional discussion on relocatable classrooms, multi-track calendar, and extended-day schedules is presented in Chapter 9, Best Practice 1. Recommendations We recommend the district thoroughly review the alternatives to new construction, including an analysis of the short-term and long-term cost implications and the overall advantages and disadvantages, which were presented to the school board in June The alternatives ValienteHernandez P.A