Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Yet more Q & A
What are the next steps in the process? Need to determine how the current calculations will be used to move forward with final recommendations
Another question about transfer policy. How do other districts do it? The last district Dr. Carstarphen was in didn't have any transfer restrictions.
What is the projected population of schools based on? Hispanic population is increasing dramatically. They calculate based on live births in the area and project forward. Then the demographer looks at kids in each grade level to determine projections. They also project based on housing developments in the community to calculate growth in attendance area.
Another question about transfer policy. How do other districts do it? The last district Dr. Carstarphen was in didn't have any transfer restrictions.
What is the projected population of schools based on? Hispanic population is increasing dramatically. They calculate based on live births in the area and project forward. Then the demographer looks at kids in each grade level to determine projections. They also project based on housing developments in the community to calculate growth in attendance area.
More Q & A
Comment that schools became open to transfers because schools were in older neighborhoods and under-enrolled. Many people are not aware of that.
Comment that there are often people transferring out of schools for perceived rather than actual problems (Blanton?). Maybe if there was a cost associated with transfers it would reduce overall numbers and bring in revenue.
Where are the Administration buildings in all of this? How is at calculated? What happens if we sell Pease to put that land back on the tax rolls? Not something that's been laid out in this diagram. But it may be part of later phases as construction projects begin. There are other things percolating around that may bring something to bear, but these are all real estate discussions in executive sessions of the Board.
Comment that there are often people transferring out of schools for perceived rather than actual problems (Blanton?). Maybe if there was a cost associated with transfers it would reduce overall numbers and bring in revenue.
Where are the Administration buildings in all of this? How is at calculated? What happens if we sell Pease to put that land back on the tax rolls? Not something that's been laid out in this diagram. But it may be part of later phases as construction projects begin. There are other things percolating around that may bring something to bear, but these are all real estate discussions in executive sessions of the Board.
Q & A
Was green building assessed in FCI calculations? Somewhat. There are some factors such as reflective roofs, low-flow fixtures that have been added in.
Why does the middle school enrollment seem to be less than elementary and high school? Grade configuration is a factor and is not standardized across the district. This is being considered as part of the Master Plan. Discussion of consolidating several smaller schools into larger facilities. The feedback they received was "we love our smaller schools."
Have the consultants looked at how numbers would change under a strict transfer policy? They are looking at what we'd see if the kids were all taken back to the home boundary. Some would be way over and some way under.
Wouldn't improving school quality reduce transfers instead of building all new facilities? Yes, and that will be incorporated into the next phase of the planning process.
Why does the middle school enrollment seem to be less than elementary and high school? Grade configuration is a factor and is not standardized across the district. This is being considered as part of the Master Plan. Discussion of consolidating several smaller schools into larger facilities. The feedback they received was "we love our smaller schools."
Have the consultants looked at how numbers would change under a strict transfer policy? They are looking at what we'd see if the kids were all taken back to the home boundary. Some would be way over and some way under.
Wouldn't improving school quality reduce transfers instead of building all new facilities? Yes, and that will be incorporated into the next phase of the planning process.
Planning Area 3
Not going to put much here. He's essentially running us through the packets that are online, including the options suggested and questionnaire.
Transfers
19% of AISD students attend classes outside their boundary for a variety of reasons. The District is going to have to take a hard look at the transfer policies, even though the net transfer numbers keep all students in district, it still can cause imbalances across the district.
Saving money
Reduce temporary buildings, reduce under capacity schools, and sell or lease AISD facilities to generate funds.
Utilization
Trying to find ways to increase use of underutilized schools, including luring students back to those facilities and working with City to find alternate uses.
Transfers in district
Discussion of how transfers are calculated and how they affect districtwide student population.
FCI
Facility Cost Index is cost to repair deficiencies divided by the current replacement value. The lower the score the better. Over 60% means the facility should be replaced. Pease is the one outlier, built in 1871, with a FCI of 71%.
Direct quote: "The question as to whether it (Pease) will ever close is a question that we do not know the answer to." lots of murmurs in the room of "no, no."
Direct quote: "The question as to whether it (Pease) will ever close is a question that we do not know the answer to." lots of murmurs in the room of "no, no."
Some of their goals
Eliminate as many portables as possible; sustainable "green" building; renewable energy sources; plan for enrollment growth (12,000 over next 10 years).
Master Plan Process
He's talking a lot about how the Master Plan has been built so far. Not much different from what I've heard in the Master Plan Community Meetings.
They are now analyzing results of the Master Plan Community Dialogues. Those will be collected and taken to the Board.
They are now analyzing results of the Master Plan Community Dialogues. Those will be collected and taken to the Board.
Efficiency factor
In schools where there are a large numbers of support classes they drop the capacity requirement slightly (i.e. Title I). There are about 10 schools that have limitations on expanding their core.
What else has changed?
We only have numbers up through 2009 enrollment, but target is 85 to 105% capacity. New numbers should be out soon and should include some shifting in district boundaries between schools. Boundary changes occur when schools are overcapacity or underutilized.
They look at core size as well. If you only have one library or a small cafeteria it doesn't matter how many portables you can install.
They look at core size as well. If you only have one library or a small cafeteria it doesn't matter how many portables you can install.
What is going on?
Next set of community dialogues will happen in early December when they are ready to issue specific recommendations.
He's showing us the Permanent School Capacity for different grade levels right now. They've changed the way they calculate this. Students * (Rooms - Special Rooms) = Permanent Capacity. This has reduced the overall percentage of capacity.
He's showing us the Permanent School Capacity for different grade levels right now. They've changed the way they calculate this. Students * (Rooms - Special Rooms) = Permanent Capacity. This has reduced the overall percentage of capacity.
Why is this important now?
AISD has to continue to do business with a projected $30M shortfall in 2012.
Getting started
He's going to go over the Master Plan, focusing on area 3.
The Facility Master Plan is aligned to the AISD Strategic Plan.
The Facility Master Plan is aligned to the AISD Strategic Plan.
Another UpClose meeting today
Today we're going to hear from Paul Turner, Executive Director of Facilities, who will be talking about the Facility Master Plan. We're meeting at O. Henry Middle School, which I'm pretty excited about since that's where Pax and Zane will be going in a few years.
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