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.
What does the Long Range Facilities Plan do?
The Facilities Plan includes several key changes that will allow Duluth Public Schools to better serve its students and the community, including:
- Closing some schools. The Facilities Plan will take us from three high schools to two, four middle schools to two, and eleven elementary schools to nine. Closing these schools will save the district over $4.5 million per year. This money will then be reinvested newer, better facilities that offer 21st century resources and safety features.
- Building and upgrading other schools. The Facilities Plan will rebuild or refurbish the remaining schools to bring them to modern safety and learning standards. Not only will these schools provide the best possible learning environments for current students, they will attract new families to Duluth.
- Going green. Many unique elements of the Facilities Plan, from energy efficiency features to a streamlined bus system, will make Duluth’s schools the most efficient and environmentally friendly in the state. For example, reductions in utility costs, as well as in eliminating 500,000 square feet of no longer needed space, will save over $800,000 each year.
All told, the Facilities Plan will save $5.3 million per year through upgrades and efficiencies – money that can then be reinvested in our schools. The Facilities Plan also provides much needed financial stability for the District and for taxpayers. Instead of investing inefficiently in a piecemeal approach, we’re creating buildings that will better serve students and the community for the next 30-40 years.