SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES $3.33 BILLION PLAN TO BUILD, RENOVATE SCHOOLS ACROSS COUNTY

FOUR PROTOTYPES THAT WILL YIELD 12 SCHOOLS OK’D

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County School Board Members approved a five-year capital plan on Wednesday that will end overcrowding, eliminate portable classrooms, build 42 new schools and renovate hundreds more.

The capital plan’s scope grew by about $230 million from a proposed plan presented by the School Board in December.  The additional cost includes 11 more replacements of existing buildings, bringing the total in the plan to 18.

In all, when completed, the construction described in the plan will add 69,097 new students seats in the District – roughly the same total proposed in December.  But the mix of buildings has shifted to 42 new schools from an initial 47 and to 31 additions from an initial 22.  By adjusting the plan in this way, the District will be able to deliver new seats faster to overcrowded schools.

“A well-constructed, well-maintained, spacious physical environment sends an unmistakable message to students, teachers and parents that we care about how and where our students learn,” said Superintendent Rudolph F. “Rudy” Crew.

Since December, School Board members and staff presented the draft plan in community meetings around the county.  The response of parents, other residents and elected officials gathered both in those meetings and through written comments were evaluated to help shape the final plan.

The plan is based on an unprecedented analysis of the District’s current and future needs, including projected enrollment based on a new demographic analysis and a survey of every building in the county.

Over the last four months, staff in the Office of School Facilities has been able to group the deficiencies identified in that building survey into specific projects and to create a schedule for that work.  In all, the plan includes $1.7 billion in renovations, remodeling, and enhancements to existing schools that will improve virtually every building in the county. Nearly half of the total -- $748 million – will go to remodeling 93 schools, with another $481 million allocated to renovations at 123 schools.

In related business, the School Board approved contracts with four architectural firms to create prototype designs to use in constructing 12 schools.  By using prototypes in this way, the District will be able to build more schools in less time and be able to save an estimated $3 million in design costs alone.

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