Superintendent’s Recommendations for District Improvement

Related to Facility Needs

VICTORIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

VISD Facility Program Needs, Constraints

• Crowded conditions

• Safety concerns

• Aging facilities

• Inadequate facilities

• Location concerns

• Declining enrollment at secondary level

History

• Most recent bond issue - 1997 for $31M– New elementary school constructed– New wings at Crain and Howell Middle Schools– Parking lots– Roofing– Air quality, energy management– Band Hall at Stroman Campus– Ag Building at Senior Campus– General classroom renovations, upgrades

• Bond projects were prioritized from list of more than $64M in needs

History

• Most recent bond issue - 1997 for $31M.

• LAN/Walton Consulting conducts extensive facilities study 2004-2005

• Community-based Facilities Committee makes recommendations 2005-2006

Present Facility Conditions

• LAN/Walton study finds 13 of 21 campuses have buildings in need of “potential replacement …”

• LAN/Walton study finds 20 of 21 campuses have buildings in need of “programmatic rehabilitation or modernization.”

What the studies recommended

• LAN/Walton Report– 1 New HS in near term– 1 New HS in near to mid-

term– Conversion of MHS Senior

Campus to Special Events Center

– Construct new MS when enrollment justifies, add classrooms to Crain MS

– Modernize and replace highest priority elementary schools

– Maintenance projects

• Community Advisory Committee– Proposition 1

• New construction at MHS Senior Campus to create Special

Events Center• Add classrooms to Crain MS;

Renovate Howell and Patti Welder MS

• Replace F.W. Gross with 1 new elementary school

• Maintenance at various campuses $15M• Total Prop. 1 = $37.5M

– Proposition 2• New High School• Total Prop. 2 = $37.5M

The Cost of Aging Facilities

• 59% of VISD buildings are at least 40 years old

• Increased maintenance costs associated with repairs, basic upkeep– VISD spends approximately 11% of the total

budget on maintenance and utilities– Per pupil expenditures on maintenance and

utilities average $788 in VISD. This is $29 MORE than the state per pupil average.

The Cost of Aging Facilities

• Increased maintenance costs associated with repairs, basic upkeep

• Increased utility costs associated with energy inefficiency, plumbing problems, etc.– The cost per square foot for utilities at VISD

schools range from 56 cents at Rowland Magnet to $1.61 at Mission Valley Elementary.

Utilization

• Secondary schools overcrowded

• Limited space available on elementary campuses

Utilization• Secondary schools overcrowded• Limited space available on elementary campuses

• After recent rezoning, the need continues for additional rezoning to meet challenges of population shifts

Utilization

• Secondary schools overcrowded

• Limited space available on elementary campuses

• After recent rezoning, the need continues for additional rezoning to meet challenge of population shifts

• 13 of 21 campuses use portable buildings

• 66 portables are in use today

Community Expectations

• Harris Interactive Poll (CSmPact) results indicate significant student dissatisfaction with facilities. Substantial parent and staff dissatisfaction also revealed.

Community Expectations

• Harris Interactive Poll results (CSmPact) indicates significant student dissatisfaction with facilities. Substantial parent and staff dissatisfaction also revealed.

• Affinity responses largely deal with issues that are related to facilities, most notably on high school level.

Community Expectations• Harris Interactive Poll results (CSmPact) indicates

significant student dissatisfaction with facilities. Substantial parent and staff dissatisfaction also revealed.

• Affinity responses largely deal with issues that are related to facilities, most notably on high school level.

• High levels of dissatisfaction with high school configuration based upon Harris Interactive Poll, Affinity process and other inputs

Superintendent

Superintendent’sRecommendationsBased Upon Best

Practicesfor High Performing

Districts

Learning Communities

• Created by feeder patterns of elementary into middle school and middle school into high school

• Geographically east side and west side

• Balanced by numerical enrollment, ethnicity and economic status

Current School Sites

Current School Sites with Flood Plains Indicated

How can this be accomplished?

• Build TWO new high school campuses– Strategically located in potential growth areas– Attendance zones (East/West)– Balanced enrollment, demographics – Approximate capacity of 1800-2000 students

at each school

How can this be accomplished?

• Build TWO new high school campuses

• Build ONE new middle school– Allows for enrollment of 750-800 students on

each of the 4 middle school campuses– Create middle to high school feeder patterns

for attendance zones

How can this be accomplished?

• Build TWO new high school campuses• Build ONE new middle school

• Build TWO new elementary schools in developing or high enrollment areas– Allows district-wide elementary enrollments of less

than 500 students– Supports formation of feeder patterns into four middle

schools

Existing Facilities

• Convert existing MHS Senior Campus to District Events Center– Would include Natatorium, Fine Arts Center

and Auditorium– Allows for relocation of District Alternative

Education Program (DAEP) to existing campus buildings

Existing Facilities• Convert existing MHS Senior Campus to District Events Center

• Convert existing MHS Stroman Campus to Victoria Area Center for Advanced Learning– Would serve as a resource for middle and high schools for

advanced academic courses, expanded career and technology offerings, and possible development of early college program

– Students could attend classes for part or all of the day at the Center, but would remain enrolled at their home campus

– Open enrollment for area students– Alignment of programs to business/employer needs– Various programs could be relocated/expanded at Center

for Advanced Learning

Existing Facilities

• Convert existing MHS Senior Campus to District Events Center

• Convert existing MHS Stroman Campus to Center for Advanced Learning

• Extensive capital improvement to campuses– Specific locations identified as high need areas in

facility studies and with input from principals

Estimated Costs

• Two new high schools: $46M each– Grades 9-12

– Capacity: 2000 students

– Site acquisition

– Equity - both schools of similar architectural design

– Both schools constructed simultaneously

Estimated Costs• Two new high schools: $46M each

• One new middle school: $17M–Site acquisition

–Capacity: 750 students

Estimated Costs• Two new high schools: $46M each

• One new middle school: $17M

• Two new elementary schools: $17.5M– One school on existing VISD property– One school on property to be acquired– Capacity: 600 students

Estimated Costs• Two new high schools: $46M each• One new middle school: $17M• Two new elementary schools: $17.5M

• Addition to Crain Middle School $4.5M–Replace 11 portable buildings–Provide Band Hall, Choir Room,

Auditorium

Estimated Costs• Two new high schools: $46M each• One new middle school: $17M• Two new elementary schools: $17.5M• Addition to Crain Middle School: $4.5M

• Capital Improvements $19M– Parking– Roofing– HVAC (Heating, Air Conditioning, etc.)– Other

Estimated Costs• Two new high schools: $46M each• One new middle school: $17M• Two new elementary schools: $17.5M• Addition to Crain Middle School: $4.5M• Capital Improvements: $19M

• District Events Center: $9M

Estimated Costs• Two new high schools: $46M each• One new middle school: $17M• Two new elementary schools: $17.5M• Addition to Crain Middle School: $4.5M• Capital Improvements: $19M• District Events Center: $9M

• Total: $159M

Making It Happen

• General Fund property tax implications– House Bill 1 tax rate compression

• Rate lowered from $1.465 to $1.331 in 2006• Rate compresses again to $1.00 in 2007

• Debt Service property tax implications– Current rate $0.0975 – Rate has remained unchanged for 4 years– Debt Service requirements drop by over half in 2010– Possible state-funded assistance on construction financing

and operating costs• Operational assistance for first year @ $250 based on

ADA; growth in second year

Benefits of Facilities Improvements

• Creates learning-friendly environment for students, staff and parents

• Increases academic opportunities for all students

• Increases co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for secondary students

• Reduces crowding conditions• Addresses safety and security concerns of

parents, students and staff

Benefits of Facilities Improvements

• Addresses Americans with Disabilities Act deficiencies

• Addresses issues related to facilities not meeting state standards– Science, Technology, etc.

• Eases the inefficiencies of operating older facilities in terms of utilities, etc.

• Reduces required maintenance and repairs

Benefits of Facilities Improvements

• Creates community pride in facilities

• Stimulates economic development

• Assists in retaining quality staff with improved work environment/conditions