Cost of Fixing RI School Buildings are $2.2 Billion, Says Report
Thursday, September 14, 2017
School buildings in every district of the state received a failing grade in Rhode Island’s first ever “Schoolhouses Report.”
The report projects that $627.5 million in high-priority construction and repairs are needed to keep students and teachers warm, safe and dry in their classrooms.
The statewide cost to bring all school buildings into ideal condition is estimated at $2.2 billion. READ THE REPORT
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Every generation of Rhode Islanders has worked hard and made sacrifices so the next generation has more opportunity than the one before. But most of our classrooms and school buildings haven't been improved in 25 years. We must make a once-in-a-generation investment in our school buildings to address immediate health and safety needs in every district, and to give our children the 21st-century classrooms they need to compete in the world today,” said Governor Gina Raimondo.
"Most facilities are not equipped to promote student achievement in the 21st century, to say nothing of the alarming health and safety hazards that exist in several buildings. We cannot claim to care about academic performance if we continue to force our students, teachers, and staff into buildings like this every day," said the Union backed coalition Fix Our Schools.
"Fix Our Schools now knows that Rhode Island can no longer ignore this incredible challenge, and acknowledging just how urgent this problem has become is only the first step."
The Report
The report was commissioned by the School Building Authority and completed by Jacobs Engineering.
The report breaks down five levels of priority costs, ranging from critical to aesthetic enhancements. The $627.5 million safe, warm, and dry standard represents priorities 1 and 2 from the total facility deficiencies.
Of that number, $54.5 million in deficiencies are considered "priority 1," or "mission critical concerns," such as building safety or code compliance.
Raimondo Creates Schools Task Force
Following the release of the report, Raimondo signed an executive order creating the Rhode Island Schools Task Force.
The group will consider district feedback and public input to develop a plan that includes potential funding streams and recommendations on how to maximize resources.
The task force will report its recommendations to Raimondo by December 2017.
"This is a call to action, and it is our hope that this data-based approach will empower communities to thoughtfully prioritize their needs and make smart investments, accordingly," said Commissioner Wagner. "RIDE will continue to support districts in their efforts to modernize and improve school infrastructure, with a renewed emphasis on projects that have emerged as most urgently needed for the safety, well-being, and success of our students,” said Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Ken Wagner.
The task force, which is co-chaired by Treasurer Magaziner and Commissioner Wagner, includes the following members:
- DOA Director Michael DiBiase, School Building Authority Advisory Board
- Senator Hanna Gallo (Cranston, West Warwick) on behalf of the Senate
- Jamestown Town Administrator Andy Nota, on behalf of the League of Cities and Towns
- Joseph Dewhirst, Chairman, Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation
- Michael Sabitoni, President, RI Building and Construction Trades Council and Business Manager, Laborers Local 271
- Frank Flynn, President, Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals
- Larry Purtill, President, National Education Association of Rhode Island and Member, Council of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Kinzel Thomas, Providence School Board, on behalf of the RI Association of School Committees
- Barry Ricci, Chariho Superintendent, on behalf of the RI Superintendent's Association
- Patricia Flanagan, M.D., Pediatrician-in-Chief at Hasbro Children's Hospital and professor of pediatrics at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Neil Steinberg, Rhode Island Foundation President
- John Hazen White, Jr., Chairman, and Owner, Taco Comfort Solutions
- Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Executive Director, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
Related Slideshow: The Power List - Health and Education, 2016
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