In a surprise reversal of priorities for new school construction, Harford County Executive David Craig and Board of Education President Patrick Hess are expected to announce tonight that the new Red Pump Elementary School on Vale Road will be delayed due to funding, but plans for the new Schucks Road Elementary School will move ahead.
Prior to the planned announcement, Red Pump Elementary was the school system’s top priority for new elementary school construction.
Sources tell The Dagger the Harford County Council has questioned the move, since Schucks Road Elementary is outside the development envelope and is not expected to have access to public water and sewer, while Red Pump is expected to have access at a future date.
Questions have also been raised as to whether the change in prioritization could be an effort to avoid controversial redistricting decisions.
When reached for comment, County Councilman Richard Slutzky, who represents the Aberdeen and Churchville District E and is Education Liaison to the Board of Education, said delaying the Schucks Road school would have been more appropriate due to traffic and other issues at that site, including the lack of access to public water and sewer.
Slutzky also noted Red Pump Elementary already had a completed design, which would require adjustments to fit the Schucks Road property.
Here’s the official county press release:
(Bel Air, MD – December 9, 2008) – – Harford County Executive David R. Craig Monday evening appeared before the Board of Education of Harford County and formally requested the Board delay further work and construction on the Red Pump Elementary School. The county executive was joined in his recommendation by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jacqueline C. Haas and President of the Board of Education Patrick Hess.
Prior to the Board meeting, County Executive Craig, Superintendent Haas and President Hess held a press conference outlining their rationale for suspending the school project.
“Since taking office in 2005, I have demonstrated my commitment to education and unprecedented support of the school system’s Capital Improvement Program,” County Executive Craig stated. “This year alone, the County Executive and County Council have committed more than $120 million to fund capital projects of the school system,” Craig remarked.
One of the previous priorities for Harford County Public Schools and Harford County Government was the construction of two new elementary schools; one north of Bel Air and a second in the vicinity of Schucks Road and MD RT 22 near Campus Hills. However, recently released school enrollment data for the 2008 – 2009 school year, revealed a sharp drop system-wide in elementary school enrollment. Specifically, elementary student enrollment declined by more than 850 students this year.
Early last week, Superintendent Haas and President Hess met with County Executive Craig and advised that due to declining enrollment and system-wide balancing enrollment next year, there was no need for the county to fund construction of two elementary schools. School officials also recommended the county suspend construction of the proposed Red Pump Elementary School and move forward instead with an elementary school in the Campus Hills area.
Commenting on the recommendation, Dr. Haas stated, “Three main factors remain at the forefront of our decision to make this recommendation to the Board – declining elementary enrollment, the close proximity of the Schucks Road property to the epicenter of our capacity issues, and the downturn in the fiscal resources at the state and county.”
President of the Board, Patrick Hess added, “With the September 30 enrollments showing a decline and the poor shape of the economy, it is the fiscally responsible decision to make at this time.”
During the Board’s business meeting Monday evening, the board members unanimously approved the request of County Executive Craig and the recommendation from Superintendent Haas and President Hess to defer the Red Pump Road Elementary School project indefinitely. The school system will continue to hold a place in the annual Capital Improvement Program for construction of the school, but will not proceed at this time.
Commenting on the Board’s decision, County Executive Craig remarked, “I appreciate the support of Dr. Haas, President Hess and the Board of Education to suspend this school project. Clearly it is not in the best interest of Harford County, particularly our taxpayers, to fund construction of a school which would be underutilized due to declining enrollment,” Craig stated.
It will be interesting to hear if any of the Board members question the real justification behind this proposal. Or will we just roll over again.
Here’s a link to the Capital Improvement Plan in place prior to tonight’s meeting showing Red Pump ES was #3 on the priority list, Shucks Road was #9 .
http://hcps.org/boe/docs/exhibits/2008-2009/11-24-2008/Item%20E-1%20Amendments%20CIP%20Master%20List.pdf
The CIP is often amended and this version reflects changes approved at the November 24th BOE meeting, but the elementary schools were not among the adjustments made just 2 weeks ago.
Here’s the Agenda for tonight’s BOE meeting.
http://hcps.org/boe/docs/agendas/2008-2009/2008-12-08%20Agenda%20Board%20Business%20Meeting.pdf
Agenda Item B indicates there will be another amendment to the CIP, but there are no specifics and no corresponding exhibits posted at this time. Normally, a rationale would accompany such a change and be posted prior to the meeting.
I’ve posted the official county press release on the elementary school switcheroo including Superintendent Haas’ comments that the re-prioritization was made based on “declining elementary enrollment, the close proximity of the Schucks Road property to the epicenter of our capacity issues, and the downturn in the fiscal resources at the state and county.”
Isn’t the poor economy a good enough reason to ammend the capital improvement program? Do they have to use misleading enrollment and projection numbers as well? As stated above, the enrollment numbers as recently as 2 weeks ago SUPPORTED 2 new elementary schools, but now those same numbers show something else entirely?
From the press release “Specifically, elementary student enrollment declined by more than 850 students this year.”
According to the official Sept. 30 elementaty enrollments for 2007 (17357 students) and 2008 (17182 students), there was an elementary school enrollment decline of 175 students this year, not 850.
Current elementary enrollment projections are for a decline of 24 students in 2009, then increasing enrollment of + 829 elementary students through 2016.
See for yourself:
http://www.hcps.org/boe/docs/exhibits/2008-2009/11-10-2008/ES_MS_HS_ENROLLMENT_PROJECTIONS_FINAL.pdf
I could understand that it may be the “fiscally responsible” thing to do, but they don’t have to make up enrollment excuses!
Brian,
Thank you for your post outlining the explanation for maintaining Shucks Rd. and delaying Red Pump. I hope that this move doesn’t lead to an expedited fulfillment of requests to provide Water and Sewer up Rt. 22
PWH the cost of buying out the resident’s of schuck’s corner was staggering they were smart enough to hold out for top Dollar. my brothers house was bought for a peasely $750.000 Dollars.and that was just one house. who say’s there’s a recession in harford county.
It most certainly will expedite the need for water.
So, if enrollment is down 850, wouldn’t redistricting take care of overcrowding issues? We all know that it isn’t the policy in Maryland to build schools based on projections.
Larry-the-numbers-guy makes a good point. There was not a “sharp drop” in elementary school enrollment by 850 students as the press release states. So where in the world did that number come from?
Maybe from the fact that overall elementary enrollment is 872 students under capacity. That’s very different from a sudden drop in enrollment, especially since this excess capacity existed in 2007 when there were 767 more seats than students ( there was also a 71 student increase in capacity over the same time period ).
The bottom line is, the actual drop in enrollment was 175 students, not 850 and the trend is projected to reverse itself by the time Red Pump and Campus Hills are completed. So what’s really going on here?
Judy is right that the State won’t fund schools based on projections, but these projects were being forward-funded by the county with the hope that future enrollment would justify reimbursement from the State at a later date. Does this mean the people are not coming with BRAC after all?
I think that BRAC numbers increase dramatically in 2010 or 2011. This year and next the numbers I have seen–don’t ask me where–are in the hundreds.