ExtraCredit: School Construction

I'm back from vacation and ready to be blogging....

I want to touch on an issue bothering many community members.  They see construction projects and wonder how school districts can spend money on those while laying off employees, cutting salaries and benefits, and eliminating educational programs.  Construction at Modesto Junior College and Gregori High School are among numerous local examples.  The projects are funded partly by the school districts (usually general obligation bonds that raise money through local property tax increases) and partly by the state.  The money CAN NOT be spent on salaries or anything not construction related.  The dollars have to go toward renovation, remodeling, construction and the furnishing of those projects with furniture and equipment/technology.

Community members are questioning some of that spending at Keyes Elementary.  The school is putting in a field and track and classroom building.  Keyes Union School District Superintendent Karen Poppen addressed the concerns in a news release she sent out today:

Keyes Elementary School has completed construction on a new field and track and has begun construction on a new classroom building which will house six kindergarten classrooms and two primary classrooms, for a total of 8 rooms.  A number of community members have had questions about the new facilities, so this article is an attempt to answer those questions.  Before doing that, though, it is important to understand some facts about public school construction.

Typically new school construction is funded 50% by the district (through General Obligation Bonds or other funds that may only be spent on construction) and 50% by the state.  However, the state froze its contribution to school construction almost a year ago.  The new classroom project has been approved by the Office of Public School Construction, and it is on an Unfunded Approval list.  That means that when the state has construction funds in the future (hopefully in 2010), the District will get its portion. 

Until that time, Keyes Union School District trying to build the building and replace the field and track within the remaining portion of its General Obligation Bonds, which were passed by the voters of Keyes in 2005.  The District must be very “tight” about all of its spending decisions to be able to get its projects done if the state does not come through with its portion in the near future.  The District moved forward with these projects now believing that it could get the lowest possible prices and make its money go farther.  When the state starts funding school construction again, prices are likely to go up dramatically.

How is the track/field project being funded?  This project is funded through Keyes USD General Obligation bonds.  These funds may only be used for construction, according to the language in the bond measure.

Why is the District spending money on facilities—like the field and track and the new classroom building—when it has so little money to operate the District?  Bond funds can only be used for the purposes outlined in the bond measure.  They may not be used to pay salaries or to cover operating expenses.

Why is the track so narrow?  A six-foot track, which is the width the track had been most recently before the renovation began, was all that the District could afford at this time.  The track is intended for use by PE and the community.  It was not built for competitions.  Someday the District hopes to have a competition track at Spratling Middle School. 

Why aren’t there concrete curbs separating the track from the grass?  The cost of concrete curbs to border both the inside and outside of the track (approximately $15,000-$20,000) was more than the District could afford at this time.  The Superintendent has submitted a grant application to the USDA’s Rural Development Department to cover installing concrete curbs.  If the grant is funded, the District will move forward to install them.  At that time it will explore the feasibility of widening the track.

Now that the project is done, when will it be ready to use?  PE classes will be able to begin using the track only on Monday, November 2.  The field will be open and ready for use on Monday, November 30, assuming that the weather cooperates and the grass is established.

Further questions may be directed to the Keyes Union School District Office at 5680 7th Street in Keyes or by calling 209-669-2921.