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46 <br /> OVERVIEW <br /> Orange County,Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools(CHCCS), The Long-Range Facilities Optimization Plan supports the <br /> and Orange County Schools (OCS) have embarked on a missions ofCHCCS"to build an inclusive school community <br /> monumental task of evaluating the condition, adequacy, that engages, empowers, and inspires students," and OCS <br /> and locations of their 39 campuses to develop a com- "to provide an education that addresses the social, emo- <br /> prehensive Long-Range Facilities Optimization Plan to tional,intellectual,and physical needs of every student." <br /> improve the condition of school facilities for their students <br /> and community. Orange County is responsible for the 3.8 STRATEGIES <br /> million square feet of facilities at 39 campuses that make <br /> up CHCCS and OCS. <br /> This Long Range Facilities Optimization Plan organizes its <br /> School facilities have a direct impact on student learning, recommendations around six distinct strategies: <br /> student and staff health, and community. The 2021 State <br /> of Our Schools Report' uses the best available school dis- 1. ADEQUACY <br /> trict fiscal data about U.S. elementary and secondary <br /> (pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade) to analyze the Adequacy refers to the degree to which school <br /> state of public school facilities. The report finds that the facilities lack key learning and support spaces <br /> gap between expenditures and good stewardship of facil- 4 relative to North Carolina Department of Public <br /> ities continues to increase. The research performed esti- Instruction (NCDPI) design standards and the <br /> mates the nation is under-investing in school buildings and degree to which learning and support spaces are less than <br /> grounds by$85 billion each year. 90%the size called for in the NCDPI standards. This strat- <br /> egy does not include schools recommended for major ren- <br /> Public School facilities are the second largest infrastructure ovation or replacement. <br /> behind highways. However, unlike transportation, which <br /> has most of its capital costs paid from federal and state 2. REPLACEMENT SCHOOL <br /> sources, local school districts bear most of the responsi- The plan recommends schools for replacement <br /> bility for school construction capital funding. Each school based on their on their condition, educational <br /> day, nearly one-sixth of the U.S. population spends their adequacy,and utilization.These schools would <br /> day in a public school building. <br /> be rebuilt on the same or adjacent sites. <br /> Public school facilities that are well planned, designed, 3. RENOVATION <br /> built, operated, and maintained have an outsized pos <br /> itive impact on education, health, the natural environ- Facilities recommended for renovation would <br /> ment, and our communities. Historically, research has not be fully rebuilt, but rather receive renova- <br /> concluded a relationship between the condition of school tions to provide interior spaces more closely <br /> facilities and educational outcomes. Schools with proper aligned to current NCDPI standards. <br /> indoor air quality, natural lighting,and temperatures have <br /> shown to improve the student and teacher experience and 4. NEW SCHOOL <br /> productivity. <br /> New schools are recommended when needed <br /> All facilities deteriorate with time and use. Major building o o to alleviates over capacity and where growth <br /> systems, components, furniture, fixtures, and equipment is occurring and anticipated to continue. <br /> need upgrades and replacement.Older schools need mod- <br /> ernization (and sometimes replacement) to meet current 5. HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS <br /> standards and support modern educational programs and <br /> services.School districts need periodic large capital invest This strategy is used to address the highest prior- <br /> ments for these critical capital projects. ity needs for facilities that are not being reno- <br /> vated or replaced. The high priority needs strat- <br /> egy does not include all ongoing capital renewal <br /> PURPOSE needs identified in the Facility Condition Assessment. <br /> This Long-Range Facilities Optimization Plan provides a 6. CONSOLIDATE <br /> long and short-term strategic investment plan. This plan <br /> will lay out recommended investments in each school asAA1 <br /> This strategy combines two schools into a <br /> well as a suggested timeline.The final recommendation is single facility. <br /> intended to be actionable and achievable given the current <br /> state of CHCCS and OCS facilities. <br /> 1.Fi[ardo,Mary.2021 State of Our Schools:America's PK-12 Public School Facilities 2021.Washington,D.C.:21st Century School Fund. <br /> 4 <br />