Guilford County Schools Anticipate Structural Improvements

The buildings that comprise the Guilford County school district have a rich and storied history. They have been associated with such monumental feats as the Triad sit-in movement. They have propelled students onward toward Ivy League schools, illustrious careers and impressive academic feats. They’ve brought together families in gymnasiums and on football fields to cheer on beloved players and favorite teams. Future Poet Laureates, including Randall Jarrell, have passed through its halls.

Now, however, many of these structures are in need of a major facelift to ensure they can continue to provide the same kind of firm foundation for future generations of students. Chief among the schools that require updates are Grimsley, Smith and Western High. These buildings have visible cracks, among other issues, and as such, are slated to receive much-needed attention in the next 10 years, though to many administrators, even that timeline is too far-reaching.

In the meantime, those on the booster boards for these schools, along with principals and other administrators, have begun the laborious process of identifying major issues and prioritizing their repair. Among the most notable concerns are ceilings that sag in places and poor insulation in some areas that makes the buildings inefficient at conserving energy.

Consultants recently outlined the steps behind Phase One of the school renovations. In January, they met with school board representatives and local county commissioners to detail what needs to be done and what has to fall into place to get there. In all, the first phase will come in at around $960 million. This total includes the costs incurred to renovate problem areas, build additions to provide extra square footage in spaces, and even construct new schools as required across the school district.

The total project is comprised of four phases, which come in with a price tag over $1 billion. It is scheduled to be rolled out slowly over the next two decades, culminating in a comprehensive refresh and renewal of educational buildings all across the county.

A Catalyst for Change: Consultant Findings That Spurred the Project

What was the catalyst behind this major, long-term, costly project? Outside consultants rated the schools on their condition and quality and the findings were more than eye-opening. Of the nearly 120 schools in the Guilford County district, 62 received a rating of either “Poor” or “Unsatisfactory.” Only 17 were rated as being in “Excellent or Like New” condition.”

To jumpstart a solution, the consultants created a game plan for future renovations and next steps. For instance, they recommended renovations for 18 of the schools, closing/repurposing for 10, additions for 16 and replacements for 27. The suggestion cited for a majority of the schools (43) was to establish boundary changes.
One of the schools suggested for replacement is Southern High School, located a 10-minute drive south of the city. The cost to do so is nearly $50 million. Dudley High, on the other hand, was noted to be in “Good” condition and as such, will be included in later-phase renovations. In all, 15 of the district’s traditional high schools are included in Phase One of the project.

While these ideas were inspiring and helped to put a framework into place to help tackle the issue, they also came with an enormous price tag. In response, county commissioners expressed concern at the January meeting, citing that perhaps the project was too front-focused, with a majority of the spending taking place in Phase One.

In traditional models, schools or companies tasked with cultivating that much income typically do so by taking out bonds. While this is a viable option for this four-phase project, representatives are seeking to research alternative funding methods that would make the process more balanced from a cost perspective. Holding them back is the fact that, at least in the present moment, estimates for the work to be done are rough, without hard figures to back them up. As such, putting any real effort into breaking down costs and locating funding sources is difficult to do.

A Breakdown of the Ratings

How were the schools ranked and rated? The answer required taking a comprehensive look at the buildings as a whole. Consultants not only examined their physical condition, but also their suitability for achieving a modern educational purpose. For instance, many of the schools, including Smith, had not seen any major changes since they were first built decades ago. Now, they aren’t up to par with the new technology required to educate today’s class of learners.

Moreover, amplified concerns over increasing public safety and mitigating personal injury means that some spaces, such as open courtyards, mobile classroom units, or unfit athletic facilities, need to be reimagined, replaced or torn down altogether.

Moving Forward, One Project at a Time

The last time the Guilford County school board approved funding of this scale was back in 2008, when a nearly $460 million bond passed to be slated for facilities upgrades. As this new, four-phase project prepares to get underway, it remains to be seen how much of the project will be approved and more importantly, how the district will proceed with its financial endeavors.

One thing is for sure, regardless: The schools across the country have needed attention for years, and whether or not the changes are as sweeping and comprehensive as proposed, the fact that a focus has been shifted toward that discussion is a step in the right direction.