Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Long Range Facilities Plan. If you do not see the answer to your question, visit our Ask a Question page to submit your own.
If we have too much space already, why does Facilities Plan call for new buildings?
When the Long Range Facilities Plan is complete, Duluth schools will have 500,000 fewer square feet of space (reduced from 2.4 million to 1.9 million square feet), resulting in significant costs savings and efficiencies for the District’s annual operating fund.
However, the Long Range Facilities Plan includes more than just building consolidation. Significant new construction and reconstruction will occur at many of our school sites. There are three key reasons why construction of new facilities is a part of the overall plan to reduce excess building capacity:
- Some schools are beyond repair. The average age of Duluth’s school buildings exceeds 50 years and many have had few upgrades or structural improvements since they were built. In some cases, extensive repairs are needed. The Minnesota Department of Education needs to approve all school refurbishing and upgrade plans in order for Duluth to receive state funding for a portion of the construction costs. If the cost to bring an old school up to modern safety and education standards is more than 60% of the cost of a new school, state standards require districts to build a new school rather than repair the old one. In Duluth, this means Laura MacArthur and Lester Park Elementaries need to be rebuilt.
- School consolidations provide savings. In some cases, the Facilities Plan calls for the consolidation of two existing schools into one new school designed to meet the projected student enrollment and educational needs of future students. When schools are consolidated, money can be saved through more efficient operations in new, upgraded schools and through the sale of land where old schools are currently located. Upgrades will occur in one of the properties, while the other property may host classes during construction and be closed once the upgraded school is available. The reconstruction of Piedmont Elementary and consolidation with Lincoln Park is an example of this approach.
- New schools are located where students live. Student population projections and community feedback made it clear that Duluth schools should be located closest to where students live. Not only will this reduce transportation costs, it will ensure that Duluth schools truly are community spaces. Consequently, rather than make significant changes in an existing school which is poorly located for attendance purposes, the Long Range Facilities Plan includes selling the previous property and building a new school at a more appropriate location (for example, the new Western Middle School).