The OPSBrief

Brought to you by

The ECCS 

In This Issue
Master Plan Oversight Committee

 Quick Links

www.eastbankcollaborative.com 

www.lacharterschools.org

educatenow.net

 www.coweninstitute.com

www.louisianaschools.net

www.rebuildingnolaschools.com

This report is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools 

Greetings!


As promised, the recommended amendments to the School Facilities Master Plan are posted online for public review. 

 

Click to read the Recovery School District's press release on the proposed revisions

 

There will be a presentation on the recommended amendments Thursday, October 13, 2011, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the McDonogh 35 High School Auditorium, 1331 Kerlerec. The OPSB is tentatively scheduled to follow the public meeting with consideration of the proposed amendments. Details will be provided at a later date. 

 

A summary of the amendments and procedural timeline follow. 

 

***This email is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools and is not an official correspondence from the Orleans Parish School Board***
SCHOOL FACILITIES MASTER PLAN REVISED AMENDMENTS

Changes since July 2011 proposed amendments

  • Includes all available or potentially available funding sources for completed and proposed projects -$1,843,971,682
    • FEMA - $1,535,442,695
    • New Market Tax Credits - $40,000,000
    • State Historic Tax Credits - $43,566,987
    • Restart - $18,900,000
    • Insurance Proceeds (less FEMA deductions) - $60,000,000
    • Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) - $137,330,000
    • External Grants -$8,732,000
  • Follows community input, peer review studies, and expert team recommendations
  • Proposes to house projected enrollment between 42,486 and 46,962 students by 2016 within 88 school operations in 82 buildings
    • Will necessitate some sharing of buildings or campuses by multiple operators
    • Assignment of school operators to buildings is planned for announcement in December 2011   
  • Identifies potential estimated savings opportunities of $139.8 million in the estimates of new project costs
    • Reducing scale of previously proposed projects - $54.6 million
    • Pilot use of "fair market rates for labor costs" - $50.7 million
    • Using design prototypes in multiple projects - $34.5 million
  • Reprioritizes some projects
    • Proposes 17 new schools in lieu of previously proposed 16
    • Increases the number of "full renovations" from 7 to 12
    • Creates a new category of 23 funded "refurbished schools" in lieu of unfunded full renovations 
    • No longer lists a prioritized group of Phase 3 projects still needed but not funded, presumably leaving the funding of those projects for future amendments
    • Includes other $31.3 million for Phase 2 projects at unspecified schools for stabilization projects ($17.7 million), demolitions ($7.4 million) and mothballing ($6.2 million)
    • Names 11 "bridge buildings" for continual use but with minimal repairs during the Master Plan implementation
  • Proposes a "blue ribbon" Capital Investment Commission to generate recommendations on funding the unfunded renovations and in maintaining completed work
    • To be convened by December 1, 2011, and to develop initial findings by February 1, 2012
  • Commits to other policy changes
    • Creates a Charter School Competitive Matching Funds Program of $1.3 million annually in Harrah's Rivergate Lease city funds
    • Creates an Emergency Repair Fund of $1.3 million annually from the Harrah's revenues
    • Commits to increasing DBE participation in all construction activities
    • Pledges pilot strategy on some CDBG-funded projects relative to Davis-Bacon wage requirements

Next steps

  • Thursday, October 13: Presentation and Public Meeting, 5:30 p.m.,  McDonogh 35, 1331 Kerlerec, New Orleans 
  • *TENTATIVE* Thursday, October 13: OPSB Public Hearing and Special Meeting, upon adjournment of preceding public meeting, McDonogh 35, 1331 Kerlerec, New Orleans
  • Tuesday, October 18: BESE School Innovation and Turnaround Committee to consider for recommendation to full Board, Claiborne Building, 1201 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, time TBA
  • Wednesday, October 19: BESE Meeting, Claiborne Building, 1201 North 3rd Street, Baton Rouge, time TBA
 GNOF Logo
 This service is made possible by a Community IMPACT 2010 Grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation.