Board agrees to begin facilities work sessions after district weighs modular classrooms as short‑term space option

The Groveport Madison School Board discussed modular classrooms as a near‑term way to address building overcrowding and asked the administration to begin a multi‑meeting facilities planning process to evaluate options and timelines.

Why it matters: District leaders said many buildings are over capacity and that without a long‑range facilities plan the district will continue to rely on temporary fixes. Administrators presented two modular strategies: buying or leasing used modular units for faster deployment, or purchasing larger new modular buildings (for example 12‑classroom units with restrooms and cafeteria expansions) that would take longer to plan and permit.

Timing and feasibility: District staff said new units involve planning, permitting and utility hookups that can take roughly 180 days for permitting and that a decision about a full, new‑unit purchase would likely be required in the coming month to have installations in place for the 2026‑27 school year. Staff noted that purchasing used modulars could shorten lead time but would still require site work and approvals.

Board direction: Trustees asked for a deliberate process. Several board members urged caution about rushing capital decisions and instead favored a structured planning window. The board agreed to convene committee‑of‑the‑whole work sessions on facilities (three to four meetings were suggested) beginning as early as October to review enrollment projections, leasing versus purchasing costs, redistricting scenarios and potential locations for modular units. The board also asked district staff to produce a facilities‑use report and to compare enrollment forecasts against the district’s prior capacity study.

Operational questions: Administrators noted that a comprehensive option — for example adding larger modular complexes both north and south — would permit a broader redistricting that could move students closer to home and reduce transportation costs, but that such an approach requires more time and coordinated planning. Staff warned that hasty decisions could ‘‘make waste’’ and recommended multiple work sessions to produce a thoughtful plan.

Ending: The board did not authorize any purchases at the meeting. Instead trustees asked for detailed cost comparisons, permitting timelines, enrollment projections and boundary alternatives and set a schedule to discuss those materials in upcoming work sessions.