Elementary schoolhouses
'BACK TO basics" is the message to cities and towns in the new draft regulations from the state's School Building Authority. In the past, city and town officials with building ambitions beyond the structurally sound could sell the state Department of Education on the need for a swimming pool or field house at the local high school. That won't pass muster with the two-year-old state authority, which covers 40 to 80 percent of the cost of new or renovated schools.
Five scheduled public hearings in June may not be enough time for town officials to comment on the proposed regulations. State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill, who chairs the quasi-public authority, says he is willing to provide more time, if necessary. That should help to lessen concerns among town officials who believe that Cahill has portrayed them unfairly as avaricious.
Cahill's no-nonsense approach to school building can, at times, appear callous. But he is taking the steps needed to reform a broken, over-budget system that kept hundreds of school projects lingering on waiting lists. Some communities will oppose new space guidelines for determining allowable square feet per pupil and balk at the state's refusal to pay local financing costs. But well-managed projects should proceed smoothly now that the authority has pledged to reimburse cities and towns for school construction costs as they accrue.
Towns that use school building s for multiple uses, ranging from recreation to town meeting, will need to adjust. The state will no longer reimburse towns for incorporating such uses into oversized schools. It's an inflexible stance, but justifiably so. A maximum of $2.7 billion in state aid for school buildings will be available for a five-year period starting in July of 2007. And future funding for new schools could be subject to the vagaries of sales tax receipts. Fairness dictates that available funds be used to ensure that the maximum number of communities be provided with modern classrooms, labs, gyms, and other essentials. Local taxpayers are always free to support fancy additions with their own money, although that will often mean a property tax override.
The proposed regulations also offer sensible incentives to towns willing to build ``green" schools or establish maintenance trust funds. The state, however, will need to be flexible in the area of projected student enrollment. Statewide efforts are underway to change zoning to allow for the construction of multifamily housing that is affordable for families with school-age children. Room to grow is crucial.
The upcoming hearings will reveal more about the state's intentions and the towns' concerns. But one thing is certain: When it comes to building schools, basic is better. 