$125M refurbishment project to overhaul 12 GDOE schools
-- The Guam Daily Post Guam: 12/05/2024 [ abstract]

After years of deferred maintenance piling up, the Guam Department of Education will be investing $125 million in American Rescue Plan funds to overhaul 12 schools across the department’s four regions.
In a press release issued Wednesday, GDOE said the refurbishment project, which was awarded to Core Tech International, focuses on the refurbishment of critical infrastructure needs which are essential for creating a safe and conducive learning environment.
The Guam Daily Post is affiliated with Core Tech.
Projects “such as crack and spall repair, restroom renovations, exterior door replacement, walkway (and) canopy repair and construction and electrical upgrades” will be included, GDOE said in the release.
GDOE called the effort “an investment in the future of the students.”
“By addressing these five main areas, the GDOE is setting a standard for other educational institutions to follow, demonstrating a commitment to providing high-quality education through improved facilities. The electrical upgrades, for instance, will not only ensure safety, but also enable the integration of modern technology in classrooms, facilitating advanced teaching methods and learning experiences,”  GDOE said in the release.
 
-- Jolene Toves
CT has $138.5 million set aside for school air quality. Why are there no plans to spend it?
-- Greenwich Time Connecticut: 12/04/2024 [ abstract]
Connecticut will not offer a third round of school air quality grants due to "funding constraints," the state says, despite $138.5 million remaining in a fund intended for that purpose.
Created in 2022 after years of advocacy to improve school air quality amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut's HVAC grant program has so far distributed $178 million to local school systems for new ventilation systems and other improvements, allowing districts to update infrastructure that was, in some cases, decades old.
Still, the money spent through the program represents less than half of what state lawmakers have allocated for it over recent years. Some of the money once intended for air quality projects has since been redirected for other uses, while much of it simply remains unspent.
Following one round of funding in spring 2023 and another earlier this year, Connecticut's Department of Administrative Services emailed superintendents and other stakeholders in August informing them there would be no additional grants.
 
-- Alex Putterman, Jacqueline Rabe Thomas
Portland Public Schools floats scaled back costs to build what could have been ‘the most expensive high schools in the U
-- The Oregonian Oregon: 12/04/2024 [ abstract]
Just six weeks ago, staff at Portland Public Schools floated an option to spend nearly half a billion dollars per building to completely rebuild or renovate the three high schools left to be updated in the district’s decade-plus modernization push, which has been funded by multi-million dollar voter-approved bond measures. The eye-popping numbers raised eyebrows, because at a projected $490 million for Jefferson High School in Northeast Portland, $450 million for Cleveland High School in Southeast Portland and $435 million for Ida B. Wells High School in Southwest Portland, the three schools would have easily been among the most expensive school building projects in the country, Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong said Monday. For example, the tony Boston suburb of Waltham just opened its new high school in September, which was completed at a cost of $374 million. That’s the most expensive school construction project in the history of Massachusetts, known as a state that spends lavishly on education. Closer to home, Beaverton is spending $253 million to rebuild Beaverton High School, while Lincoln High School in downtown Portland was completed in 2022 for $245 million.
-- Julia Silverman
Infrastructure Upgrades Allow Schools to Improve Clock, Bell and Phone Technologies
-- EdTech Magazine National: 12/04/2024 [ abstract]
There are many technologies that help keep a school running smoothly. Some of these are obvious, while others work in the background to keep everyone on track. Clocks, bells and paging systems may not be the flashiest educational technology tools in K–12 buildings, but without these systems, the school day would fall apart for lack of structure. Whereas schools are regularly refreshing their other technologies, such as networks and student devices, there’s less emphasis on modernizing bell and paging technologies. As a result, schools need updated communication technologies for their buildings. Some states, such as Hawaii, are working to fund and implement upgraded bell and paging systems. However, aging infrastructure hinders these projects. As of summer 2023, “a DOE source said that installing new Cisco equipment will likely require the rewiring of hundreds of DOE buildings with fiber-optic cables, which can cost tens of millions of dollars,” a Hawaii news station reported.
-- Rebecca Torchia
Philly school district seeks input on plan that may close aging schools
-- NBC Philadelphia Pennsylvania: 12/03/2024 [ abstract]
With more than 300 buildings under its purview, the School District of Philadelphia is beginning the final phase -- phase eight -- of its facilities planning process that could see schools throughout the city shuttered, renovated, repurposed or co-mingled. And, officials said, they now need the voices of students, families, teachers and others to make sure officials will come up with a plan that both supports communities and improves academic achievement for students throughout the district. "We want to make sure that the plan that we bring to the Board of Education is one that they can take action on, that represents the voices of our public across the City of Philadelphia," School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington told NBC10's Neil Fischer. Oz Hill, the district's deputy superintendent of operations, said that the upcoming meetings are intended to allow everyone across the city to have a chance to be involved in the creation of a plan that would have the students' best interests in mind. "We are looking to engage with every stakeholder in the community in every corner of Philadelphia," Hill said.
-- Hayden Mitman
Solar for Schools grant program now accepting applications
-- PA House Democrats Pennsylvania: 12/02/2024 [ abstract]
A new state grant program designed to benefit Pennsylvania schools is now accepting applications until Jan 31, 2025.
Solar for Schools, introduced by state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., will help school districts install solar panels on their roofs or grounds. Solar is a cheap energy source that can free up funds for schools that currently rely on fluctuating, market-rate energy.
“While Solar for Schools will undoubtedly deliver tremendous savings to schools, I believe its positive impact will be even bigger,” Fiedler said. “The workers who install these solar panels will earn living wages that support their families. Kids in classrooms will get to see firsthand the careers of skilled trades workers and use the solar panels as an educational tool. And this is all while their school is contributing to a healthier environment for them to live in.” 
Some forward-thinking districts across Pennsylvania have already installed solar arrays and are reaping millions in savings. But not all schools have the necessary flexibility in their budgets to make such investments. In fact, the contrary is often true -- many PA school districts are recovering from decades of unconstitutional underfunding or face shrinking tax bases, expiring COVID-19 recovery funds and other financial challenges. Solar for Schools grants cover up to 50% of the costs related to the purchase and installation of solar panels. Meanwhile the federal Inflation Reduction Act, which created the largest investment in clean energy in U.S. history, allows schools to recoup 30% to 50% of the cost of solar projects via direct pay. Combining state grants with IRA funding both defrays the cost of installation for schools and drives federal investment into Pennsylvania.
-- Staff Writer
Pittsburgh school closure plan raises questions for parents
-- thecentersquare.com Pennsylvania: 12/02/2024 [ abstract]

 Some Pittsburgh residents may feel déjà vu as the city’s public school system considers yet another plan to close buildings and redistribute many of its 20,000 students.
Though many see the district as overspending and underperforming, the strategy of reconfiguring schools also raises questions among parents who say similar attempts over the last 20 years didn’t pan out.
Faced with declining enrollment and expensive facility upkeep, the district contracted Educational Resource Strategies, a non-profit organization, to reimagine the district’s operations. In the current model, the district’s 60 buildings have a 53% utilization rate.
In October, the group released the details of its plan. President Jonathan Travers said it “represents the best thinking on how PPS can evolve its schools to provide the best educational experience for every student.”
“Our team’s task for the last six months has been to learn as much as we can about this district, its students and families, and put together a proposal to make bold changes to the mix and configuration of PPS schools across the city, in service of the educational needs of all students,” he said.
 
-- Christina Lengyel
Delaware schools face over 1,200 repair needs across state
-- Delaware Online Delaware: 12/01/2024 [ abstract]

As Delaware begins to grapple with how to change funding of public education to improve student support, another major funding hurdle is emerging: deferred maintenance that is piling up at schools statewide.
A first-of-its-kind statewide evaluation of school buildings completed this year by the Delaware Department of Education has identified more than 1,200 needed repairs, ranging from minor issues such as cosmetic deterioration to major needs like leaking roofs, outdated dehumidifiers, malfunctioning air conditioning, and more.
While Delaware’s 19 school districts tracked their own facility needs in the past, Senate Bill 270 directed the Department of Education to develop a statewide facilities evaluation tool in order to get a holistic view of the state’s schools.
Each district was required to submit its evaluation along with a board-approved repair and maintenance plan to the Delaware Department of Education in May. All districts compiled, except for the Colonial School District in New Castle, which in a letter to the state said that it “requires a significant amount of time and energy to complete.”
After analyzing the responses from each school district obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Spotlight Delaware found there were more than 1,200 repair notes — ranging in severity from minor to major — across the state.
 
-- Julia Merola
With a quarter of Cheyenne’s elementary schools set to close, parents are fighting back
-- County17 Wyoming: 11/30/2024 [ abstract]

David Willms took drastic measures to enroll his daughter in Jessup Elementary School. Knowing that enrollment was competitive due to crowding, the Cheyenne attorney and father of three arrived outside of the school at around 2 a.m. the night before to get a spot at the front of the line. 
“And I was not the first person there,” he said. “I was the third person in line.”
Willms went to such lengths because he had attended Jessup as a child. It is a great school in a tight-knit neighborhood, he said, and it set him up for success. In fact, he and his wife moved into the neighborhood intentionally, he said. 
“It’s where we wanted our kids to go, and we were willing to do anything to make sure they went there,” he said. 
Fast-forward 12 years, and his three children have attended Jessup; his youngest is in first grade there. They’ve been able to walk or bike to school and had good experiences, Willms said. 
But now the 31,710-square-foot school building, constructed in 1961, is set to close in 2027. 
It’s one of eight elementary schools slated for closure under a controversial study seeking the “Most Cost-Effective Remedy” — or MCER — to address capacity and condition needs in Wyoming’s largest school district, Laramie County District 1. 
The MCER study presents a major overhaul of the district’s current building makeup by closing more than a quarter of the district’s elementary schools; expanding, replacing or constructing seven other buildings; and relying more on larger 5-6 grade schools. The work would take place through 2035.
 
-- Katie Klingsporn
'Keep it there': Bonita Springs residents rally to save historic school building
-- Fox4now.com Florida: 11/30/2024 [ abstract]
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — People in Bonita Springs are coming together to protect one of the city’s oldest buildings. Bonita Springs Elementary School is at risk of being partially demolished as part of a planned renovation.
On Saturday, city council members, neighbors and members of the Bonita Springs Historical Society gathered at a town hall at the Bonita Springs Library to discuss ways to preserve the 100-year-old campus.
The Lee County School District’s renovation plans involve tearing down portions of the original structure, sparking a local movement to save at least part of the building as a historical symbol.
 
-- Mahmoud Bennett
Dorchester County Public Schools to examine oldest elementary school buildings as teachers demand change
-- Dorchester Star Maryland: 11/26/2024 [ abstract]
CAMBRIDGE — Sandy Hill Elementary School teachers packed the Dorchester County Board of Education meeting Thursday to speak about the school’s learning environment and the need for change. Karen McGowan, who has been a teacher at Sandy Hill for about 21 years, said their school is losing “excellent and dedicated” teachers. She said families are moving out of the district because they’re concerned about sending their kids to Sandy Hill. “Our school is old and falling apart,” she said. McGowan brought up plumbing issues in bathrooms, issues with the building’s room temperatures and the difficulties of having to teach and learn in open concept classrooms. Other teachers brought up mold problems and critters and bugs getting into the building.
-- MAGGIE TROVATO
More money to fix schools
-- LAist California: 11/25/2024 [ abstract]
Voters gave Southern California schools the go-ahead to spend billions of dollars to repair and upgrade campuses.
With the vast majority of ballots tallied, most local school funding measures met or exceeded the 55% of votes required to pass.
L.A. County voters approved 25 school district bond measures worth $14.8 billion. (Los Angeles Unified’s Measure US accounts for $9 billion alone.)  
Orange County voters approved nine school district bond measures worth $2 billion. 
Between the two counties, just one bond, Saugus Union School District’s Measure N, is on track to fail.
LAist reached out to the district for the comment, but officials there have not responded.
Sara Hinkley studies school facilities policy at UC Berkeley and said that since 2001 about 78% of local bond measures statewide have passed. Success rates are typically higher in presidential election years, though.
Voters also approved Proposition 2, which replenishes a pool of matching dollars to help districts pay for facilities projects.
How do local bonds work?
A bond is basically a loan that a school district takes out, and that property owners in that school district pay back through an increase in property taxes.
In California, there’s no dedicated stream of funding to support school facility repairs, renovations or construction. The majority of the money schools receive from the state every year supports students, staff salaries and other day-to-day expenses.
 
-- Mariana Dale
Seattle superintendent scraps plan to close schools next year
-- Seattle Times Washington: 11/25/2024 [ abstract]
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones is pulling his proposal to close four elementary schools, saying he “no longer saw a pathway for this approach” for the 2025-26 school year. “This decision was not made lightly and reflects the Board and my shared priority: the needs and well-being of our students, families, and community,” Jones wrote in a note to parents on Monday. “While our Board recognized the vision for the proposed changes, and many in our community understood the need for stability behind them, this decision allows us to clarify the process, deepen our understanding of the potential impacts, and thoughtfully determine our next steps.”
-- Denisa R. Superville
UC Berkeley hosting new website offering information and advice on school facilities
-- EdSource National: 11/25/2024 [ abstract]
A new resource hub will offer extensive information on all aspects of California school facilities. The National Center on School Infrastructure is housed at the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Urban and Regional Development and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. The center will provide guidance and serve as a clearinghouse of best practices for local, state and national organizations and government agencies. Areas will include master planning, funding, data systems and accountability, according to the website. It will explore topics like the relationship between well-built facilities and student health and learning. It will also build a faculties database.
-- John Fensterwald
Greater Latrobe School Board divided over plans for roof, future of junior high
-- TribLive Pennsylvania: 11/23/2024 [ abstract]
Some Greater Latrobe School Board members want to move forward with seeking proposals for replacing the junior high roof. Others first want to see an updated district facilities presentation from consultant SHP. It remains to be seen what opportunities the public may have to hear that presentation after it was removed from the agenda for this week’s school board meeting. And a proposal to include the presentation in one of the panel’s upcoming meetings was defeated by a 6-3 vote. Brad Toman was among five school directors who were in attendance when SHP staff appeared in person and remotely to conduct the presentation at a Nov. 6 facilities committee meeting. At Tuesday’s school board meeting, he moved in favor of having the presentation repeated at a board meeting, for the benefit of all nine members of the panel and the public. “You’re completely missing all of the due diligence,” Toman told board members who opposed the motion. “Part of that presentation was where we look at the cost analysis of the roof versus other options. Look at the long-term ramification of maintaining a building that’s not the right size for the (student) population.”
-- Jeff Himler
Report: Tennessee schools need $10 billion for repairs, upgrades over 5 years
-- MSN.com Tennessee: 11/23/2024 [ abstract]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee K-12 schools will need almost $10 billion for repairs and renovations over the next five years, according to a new Tennessee Comptroller report.
The report, which covers K-12 capital infrastructure and investment in Tennessee compared to other states, found that while 52% of Tennessee schools are in “good” condition; 38% scored “excellent;” but 57% of Tennessee’s 95 counties “have a monetarily significant school infrastructure need” that should be prioritized.
J.C. Bowman, the CEO and executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, told News 2 he isn’t surprised by the large amount of money the Comptroller’s Office said the state needs for school repairs and upgrades.
‘Education Freedom Act of 2025’ already filed in Tennessee General Assembly
“I actually taught in a building that was condemned in Meigs County,” Bowman said. “It’s demoralizing.”
According to Bowman, poorly maintained and old, outdated school buildings negatively impact students’ ability to learn.
With no state income tax, Tennessee public schools are funded primarily through local sales and property taxes. Districts receive some money from the state based on the number of students enrolled, which is called the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding model. For the 2024-2025 school year, each student generates $7,075 for districts from TISA funding.
However, according to Bowman, the money can only stretch so far.
 
-- Tori Gessner - WJHL
Thousands protest in Valencia over lack of schools after deadly floods
-- Yahoo! News International: 11/23/2024 [ abstract]

VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - Families and teachers protested in Valencia on Saturday to demand action over schools damaged by the deadly floods that killed over 220 people in eastern Spain and affected thousands of children's education.
Holding posters demanding the resignation of Valencian leader Carlos Mazon, protesters marched through the Spanish city almost a month after the country's worst natural disaster in decades on Oct. 29.
Controversy over the regional government's handling of the floods still rages, and a teachers' union accused it of leaving the clean-up to teachers and pupils.
Five people remain missing in the Valencia region after torrential rains and flooding drowned people in cars and underground car parks, and collapsed homes.
Thirty schools were still closed, the regional teachers' union STEPV said, leaving 13,000 children with nowhere to learn.
About 5,000 people attended the demonstration, the Spanish government said.
"We feel abandoned because, teachers, parents and volunteers have had to clean up the schools. We have seen cleaners in some schools but not enough," STEPV spokesperson Marc Candela told Reuters.
 
-- Eva Mañez - Reuters
‘All of a sudden, poof!’: Complaints up, savings down as fallout from school district’s $50 million energy contract cont
-- SiliconValley.com California: 11/22/2024 [ abstract]
CONCORD — New details shed light on the dismal results of a nearly $50 million energy-savings project aimed at lowering utility bills and improving classroom climates within the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. MDUSD is currently consuming more electricity, experiencing a surge of maintenance requests based on teacher complaints, and seeing only a fraction of the cost savings promised by Schneider Electric — the contractor who spearheaded the design and installation of new ceiling tiles, light fixtures, HVAC equipment and thermostat controls districtwide. But the Texas-multinational company rejected accusations of fraud, overcharging and false claims — claiming their modernization work is not at fault for any underwhelming meter metrics. In September, MDUSD consumed roughly 15 million kilowatt hours (kWH) of electricity — an 80%-100% spike compared to rates in July 2019 — before Schneider was brought in, according to the company’s own data. Schneider Electric’s Measure J-funded project previously promised that MDUSD’s cumulative savings would hit $1.8 million, 80% of their annual utility expenditures, one year after the first phase of the project was complete. The district, however, has only seen an initial 7% in energy savings, according to Schneider’s own numbers presented to the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee, the volunteer body appointed to hold the district accountable for responsible spending of Measure J, the $150 million bond that voters approved in 2018 for campus infrastructure improvements and energy system efficiency upgrades.
-- Katie Lauer
Tennessee K-12 school building costs escalate amid competing political priorities for education
-- Chalkbeat Tennessee Tennessee: 11/20/2024 [ abstract]
Tennessee needs to spend about $9.8 billion on repairs, upgrades, or construction to keep its K-12 public school buildings safe and conducive to learning, according to a new state report. That’s an average of about $6,557 per student over five years, to complement the minimum of $7,075 that Tennessee spends annually per pupil to cover the cost of their education. And while Tennessee’s nearly 1,700 traditional school campuses are generally in good or excellent condition, the report says more than half of the state’s 95 counties need to prioritize at least one costly capital project for their students, whether it’s building a new school, adding classroom space to an existing campus, or making upgrades across a district — things like new roofs, plumbing, and heating and cooling systems. The findings, published Wednesday by the education research arm of the state comptroller’s office, aren’t surprising. They’re consistent with previous assessments of the state’s public infrastructure needs, including the most recent inventory conducted in 2022, which ranked education behind transportation and utilities as Tennessee’s costliest needs.
-- Marta W. Aldrich
Central N.Y. indigenous school waits for repairs, upgrades
-- Spectrum News 1 New York: 11/20/2024 [ abstract]
A Central New York school is waiting for renovations to its building. The New York State Education Department has set aside much of the funding needed to make those changes at Onondaga Nation School, but that work takes time. Onondaga Nation School is one of three indigenous schools run by New York state. Onondaga Nation School was built in the 1930s, and it's been about 30 years since the building has had a major renovation. While recent changes have been made, officials say there's still a lot left to do. Locking doors and a security desk are essentials that Onondaga Nation School didn’t have earlier this year, leaving the building vulnerable. Those repairs have since been made. “So that is one of the challenges that we do face is, state projects tend to move at a different pace than other school construction projects. And certainly, that can cause a sense of frustration both for the school district, and for our staff, and for our students here at the facility when they are having to wait sometimes ten or more years for improvements to be made,” said Jeremy Belfield, the superintendent of Lafayette School District.
-- Krystal Cole
California auditor slams dirty and run-down schools in new report
-- Courthouse News Service California: 11/19/2024 [ abstract]
Schools across California don’t meet state standards for cleanliness and maintenance, according to a new report from the state auditor, jeopardizing both students’ health and safety and their chances of succeeding academically.   The report, published on Tuesday, details California State Auditor Grant Parks’ assessment of 18 public schools in six school districts across the state, ranging from large urban districts like Los Angeles Unified School District, to small rural ones like Calaveras Unified School District. Even with their differences in student population size and average income of the counties they’re located in, a disturbing pattern of improperly stored hazardous cleaning supplies, leaky roofs, structural deterioration and fire safety issues emerged in classrooms across the state.     “Of the 983 rooms we reviewed across the 18 schools, 359 had hazardous materials stored in an unsecured manner. The hazardous materials we identified included chemicals such as cleaning supplies,” Parks wrote in the report. “We also observed insect poisons.” Four schools — in Calaveras Unified, Chico Unified, Palo Verde Unified, and LA Unified school districts — had barbeques and propane tanks inside of classrooms, Parks found. Ultimately, the problem comes down to money and oversight.   
-- Sam Ribakoff
Lesson Learned: A look at impact and success of school closures, mergers in CA and why it happens
-- abc7news.com California: 11/19/2024 [ abstract]
SAN FRANCISCO -- When the superintendent in San Francisco Unified proposed closing schools recently, parents launched a prolonged -- and successful -- protest. The uproar may have died down for now, but the issue is likely to erupt at school boards across the state -- and some say that's a good thing. Declining enrollment, the end of pandemic relief grants and state budget uncertainty have combined to put hundreds of California school districts in precarious financial straits. Closing schools is never a popular option, but for some districts it may be the only way to avoid the state seizing control of operations. When the state takes over a district, the school board loses power and a state-appointed administrator makes cuts until the budget is balanced. A takeover could last a decade. "This is the big thing that we're going to be dealing with in California education over the next few years. The declines in enrollment that we have seen so far pale in comparison to the declines the state is projecting," said Carrie Hahnel, a senior fellow at Policy Analysis for California Education. "In some areas, the declines will be severe. And I don't see how we manage those kinds of reductions without closing schools." The number of students enrolled in California's K-12 public schools has dropped by 461,000 students -- or 7% -- over the past two decades. Lower birth rates, declines in immigration and an outflow of families from California have all contributed. Enrollment is expected to drop even further over the next decade, according to the state Department of Finance, to just over 5 million students -- a decline of nearly 20% since the peak in the early 2000s.
-- Carolyn Jones
Most ARPA money in Ashland schools went to capital projects
-- Ashland Source Ohio: 11/19/2024 [ abstract]

ASHLAND — Most of the American Rescue Plan Act money that went to schools in Ashland County addressed capital outlay expenses. 
Of the $13.1 million received at six public schools throughout the county, $5 million — or 38% — went to this category. Capital outlay included expenses related to building new classrooms, renovations and upgrades to equipment, infrastructure and property.
The big spender here was Ashland City Schools. It’s no surprise — school districts received ARPA money based on enrollment. Ashland City Schools is the largest school district in the county, based on enrollment data. 
But another factor is the reality that capital spending between 2021 and 2024 was tightly connected to the inflated prices of construction goods. 
A U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s Producer Price Index table released in May showed double-digit percentage increases to everything from copper wire to gypsum and lumber since 2020.
 
-- Dillon Carr
El Paso ISD to close 8 elementary schools amid enrollment declines
-- El Paso Matters Texas: 11/19/2024 [ abstract]

Eight El Paso Independent School District elementary schools will be shut down starting next school year after the Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted in favor of the closures.
Carlos Rivera, Lamar, Newman, Putnam, Rusk, and Zavala elementaries will close their doors next school year, with Stanton and Travis elementaries closing in the 2026-27 school year under the approved plan.
The 4-3 vote sparked outrage from the crowd of parents, teachers and others who had largely spoken against the closures. They began shouting “Shame on you, shame on you” after the vote. 
Trustees Israel Irrobali, Daniel Call, Isabel Hernandez and Valerie Ganelon Beals voted in favor of the closures, with Leah Hanany, Jack Loveridge and Alex Cuellar voting against.
The latest proposal called for Carlos Rivera, Lamar, Newman, Putnam, Rusk, and Zavala elementaries to shut down next school year; and Stanton and Travis elementaries to close by the 2026-27 school year.
“This plan presents recommendations to avoid measures that would negatively impact students, such as increasing class sizes, laying off teachers or reducing instructional programs that are vital to a well-rounded education,” Superintendent Diana Sayavedra said during the meeting before the vote. “This work is not easy, but I’m confident that the decisions that are made today will create a path forward for our school district.”
 
-- Claudia Lorena Silva
DCPS seeks community input on new middle school in Shaw
-- nbcwashington.com District of Columbia: 11/19/2024 [ abstract]
D.C. Public Schools is inviting community members to give their input on a new middle school in the Shaw neighborhood. In March 2022, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced funding for DCPS to open a new middle school at 800 Euclid St. NW, the former Banneker High School building, in August 2028. The new middle school, sometimes temporarily referred to as Euclid Middle School, will serve grades six to eight. Cleveland, Garrison and Seaton elementary schools will feed Euclid, according to letters shared over the summer to families at affected schools. Currently, the three elementary schools feed into Cardozo Education Campus, which serves both middle and high school students. Cardozo will convert into a traditional high school by the 2027-2028 school year and will not enroll a sixth grade class next school to begin phasing out middle school grade levels.
-- Jennifer Igbonoba