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Planner McCalip indicated that this project is currently scheduled for the year 2001. There <br />would be no clear time frame for the project to begin should it be delayed at this time. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis, to <br />refer this item to Chapel Hill for comment to be returned to the Board of Commissioners at their <br />September 16, 1997 meeting. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />d) Substantial Equivalency Policy for School Facility Funding <br />This item was presented by Commissioner Gordon for the purpose of establishing a <br />school funding policy that would state that all schools in Orange County, whether new or existing, should <br />meet the basic standards established for new schools or be substantially equivalent. Construction <br />standards have been developed for new elementary and middle schools and an intent has been stated <br />to develop standards for high schools. However, there are no stated County standards for existing <br />schools. Thus there appears to be a growing gap between new and existing schools. In funding school <br />facilities the Board of County Commissioners will pursue the goal of providing substantially equivalent <br />facilities for all children in both the Orange County (OCS) and Chapel Hill-Carrboro (CHCCS) school <br />systems. The target standard for equivalency will be the county "Basic School" standards developed for <br />new school construction or standards that are substantially equivalent. Once approved, the standards <br />for substantial equivalency will be utilized in decisions for funding school renovations, school additions <br />and/or school replacement. To implement this policy the Board of Commissioners would pursue the <br />following steps: 1) Confer with the School Boards concerning this policy. 2) Formally adopt a <br />substantial equivalency policy for school facility funding. 3) Request the OCS and CHCCS to evaluate <br />their schools using the "Basic School" standards for new schools and provide that evaluation to the <br />Commissioners, along with estimated costs for bringing the schools up to the basic school standards. 4) <br />If it is not practical to meet the letter of the basic school standards, then work with the School Boards to <br />develop substantially equivalent standards for existing schools. Some of the following items could be <br />considered. a) decide whether additional standards should be included for categories such as technology <br />or playgrounds, b) list the top priority changes needed to meet as many of the standards as possible, and <br />give their associated costs, and c) suggest facilities that could compensate for a particular school's <br />deficiencies, so that substantial equivalency is achieved. 5) Establish a target date for making all school <br />facilities in the OCS and CHCCS substantially equivalent. A potential time frame to achieve this goal <br />might be 10 years. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis supported this proposal as a broad concept but declined to adopt <br />it this evening. He felt that the Board could not have a clear understanding of this issue without looking <br />specifically at each school site. After a thorough review it may be clear that some facilities would not be <br />realistic candidates for this type of upgrade. <br />Commissioner Brown asked if this was intended to change how capital needs for <br />renovations are handled. <br />Commissioner Gordon indicated that it would not necessarily change how things are <br />currently being handled. Also, it could be that it would not be practical to meet the letter of the basic <br />school standards. The County could work with the School Boards to develop substantially equivalent <br />standards for existing schools keeping in mind the need for practicality in this effort. It is important to <br />solicit input from the school boards before this project gets underway. She suggested referring this item <br />to both School Boards. It could then be discussed jointly at the September 30th Board of Commissioner <br />- School Board Work Session. <br />County Manager Link commended the intent of this proposal. He mentioned that the <br />overcrowding situation will be addressed by the year 2006; however, the success of that effort depends <br />on the current schools remaining useable.