Summit County’s Suburban Districts Struggle to Balance Needs of Aging Schools With Costs
Source: https://news.yahoo.com/
Suburban school districts in Greater Akron, including Cuyahoga Falls, face challenges with aging facilities, many of which were built between 1950 and 1969. Renovating or replacing these buildings is costly, and securing local taxpayer support can be difficult. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission provides financial aid, but suburban districts receive lower matching funds compared to urban and poorer districts, leaving more of the cost to local taxpayers. Twinsburg Superintendent Kathryn Powers emphasized the urgent need to address these issues to ensure the schools can support future learning.
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission funded 59% of the cost for new community learning centers in Akron Public Schools, with the remaining 41% covered by local income tax increases. This state support facilitated significant construction and renovation in Akron’s schools, many of which were built or updated starting in the 2000s. However, suburban districts with lower poverty rates receive much less reimbursement, around 30% or less. The state’s funding system favors lower-wealth districts first, providing progressively less support to wealthier districts.
Anne Yeager from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) explained that districts can collaborate with the OFCC to address their facility needs through a master facilities plan. This plan includes a 10-year enrollment projection, assessments of current facility conditions, square footage requirements, and cost estimates. The OFCC offers free assessments to districts and advises that if renovating a building is more expensive than two-thirds of the cost of constructing a new one, it recommends building a new school instead.
When it comes to constructing new school buildings in the region, it seems less is more. Many local districts are reducing the number of school buildings when they revamp their facilities:
- Cuyahoga Falls is constructing one new school for all of its sixth-through-12th graders, effectively replacing the high school and two middle schools.
- Nordonia Hills schools had proposed eliminating six school buildings by constructing three new buildings.
- Stow-Munroe Falls wants to replace its middle school, intermediate school and six elementary buildings with one middle school and four elementary schools.
- Green Local Schools, once their building program is complete, will go from five to four buildings.
- Hudson City Schools converted one of its school buildings into administrative offices.
- Both Tallmadge City and Woodridge Local districts combined their primary and elementary buildings into a single elementary school, reducing their number of structures.
The Cuyahoga Falls school district is set to build a new $112.8 million campus for grades six through twelve, the first new school since 1969. The 365,000-square-foot facility will feature a performing arts center and a multi-use athletic stadium, and will be located on the former site of Newberry Elementary School near Bolich Middle School. The new school is expected to open in January 2026, after which Bolich will be demolished and the current high school will be sold. The district’s administrative offices are relocating to Broadway Street East. Funding for the project includes a 9.83-mill tax levy approved by voters in 2019, with a $32.8 million contribution from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. The bond issue will also cover costs for demolishing the old schools and constructing new facilities. Future plans will involve evaluating the district’s six elementary schools.
Some Cuyahoga Falls residents believe investing in new school facilities is worthwhile for future growth and modernization. Mark Meadows, a retired professor, supports updating facilities to accommodate long-term educational needs, highlighting the importance of evolving with digital advancements. He also suggested exploring alternatives like repurposing old infrastructure, such as malls, for educational use, citing examples from other states.
Arunie Lopez, a parent of a young child, also supports funding for schools but expresses concern about rising costs and the impact on other expenses like groceries and childcare. Despite her daughter attending private school, she acknowledges the importance of investing in education.
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