New construction?
The Whole Truth: FCPS originally suggested the Liberty MS site and the Final Recommendation by FCPS Staff to the School Board was to build at the Liberty MS site to solve overcrowding in the RTs 50/66/29 corridor.
Feasibility Study July 2009, Page 19
Final Staff Report May 2010, Page 2
"The Liberty site is not ideally located to solve the problem. Perhaps we rushed a little bit with the initial recommendation."
Will FCPS build at Liberty MS?
"Plans for combating crowding at elementary schools in Southwestern Fairfax County will mean working existing facilities rather than building new ones, county school system staff said Thursday."
[same article]
"School staff said if Clifton remains closed, money could be freed up to build a new school -- possibly at the Liberty Middle School campus -- or to add on to existing facilities."
FCPS September 2010
THE WHOLE TRUTH...
"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered;
the point is to discover them."
Galileo
Friends of Community Schools is committed to raising awareness on matters affecting community schools throughout the county as transparency on issues is critical for the well-being of Fairfax County and all of its residents and taxpayers.
The Issue?
Southwestern County Boundary Study...
The Fairfax County School Board is planning an extensive boundary change process with an extremely limited public engagement schedule - residents and taxpayers will have only 2 evenings to participate in community engagement, about 27 hours in total - which affects a substantial portion of the county's residents, with the costliest solution of proposed additions at schools with projected enrollment as low as 68% of capacity.
Reasonable Balance or MAXIMUM Utilization?
The Whole Truth: The FCPS Strategic Governance states that the "reasonable utilization" is the goal for schools in the county, yet the 23 schools are mandated under the SOCO Boundary study to wind up at maximum building utilization between 95% to 105% of capacity, which will lead to larger class sizes, larger schools and potentially more school closures.
"Every school we close can save about $1 million." Superintendent Jack Dale
Page 20, #7 Facilities and Transportation Services
"A well-served constituency is an informed and engaged community."
Chairman Sharon Bulova
Additions necessary to meet projected enrollment?
The Whole Truth: All capacity requirements can be met with existing facilities. FCPS identified during the Southwestern Region Planning Study more capacity in existing schools than future projected enrollment.
FCPS April 2010
FCPS has identified its accuracy rate for five-year enrollment projections is +/-15% for any individual school.
FCPS May 2010 Page 4
Does Voter Approval of Bonds = Use of Bonds as Approved?
Equal Representation and Treatment for FCPS Schools?
The Whole Truth: Bond approval by voters for projects - subsequently reflected in the school system's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) - does not translate to those projects being built, renovated or equitably treated.
"I am committed to a transparent process and I am very disappointed certain
FCPS staff have not provided the transparency requested by the residents of this county." Liz Bradsher, Springfield District School Board member
Aside from prisons...
Schools are the most densely populated institutions in the United States. Most schools have quadruple the number of people per square foot as most offices, the NEA reports.
FCPS to max out elementary schools to 95%-105% capacity or plan and retain capacity surplus to meet future growth?
