Board approves consent items to advance replacement of aging classrooms; district cites $4.3M pending release

The Chino Valley Unified School District Board on Monday approved a consent agenda that includes selection of a construction manager-at-risk and an architect to replace classrooms deemed at the end of their useful life at the high school. The superintendent told the board the district has been awarded roughly 9,700 square feet of replacement space for classrooms identified as beyond their useful life and that about $4.3 million in state funds will be released once the state's terms and conditions are signed. Later in the meeting the district's finance director referenced a figure of about $4.038 million for the same project. The difference in the two numbers was presented on the record: the superintendent said the release amount is $4.3 million pending signed terms and conditions from the School Facilities Board; Finance Director Mr. Livingston described the award later with a slightly different amount and said the district expects the terms and conditions to be presented at the district's September meeting. Why it matters: the replacement will add permanent classrooms and specialized space for special education at the high school and is the district's first new building project in decades, officials said. Board materials say 10 classrooms at the high school were determined by the School Facilities Board on Dec. 13, 2024, to have reached the end of their useful life. The superintendent said the 9,700 square feet includes two art rooms, two center classrooms and six general-education classrooms; the district plans new construction adjacent to existing facilities and expects to occupy the new space in August 2027. During discussion, the superintendent said a district committee met twice to review construction-manager-at-risk proposals and that three Arizona firms responded to the district's request. She said the high school and special-education staff have been discussing preferred uses for the new space and that the district will form a design-phase committee for stakeholder input. The board approved the consent agenda, after removing item 6j for separate follow-up earlier in the meeting. The meeting record shows the motion to approve the consent items passed on an "Aye" voice vote. Discussion vs. decision: the board's approval on the consent agenda formalized selection of the construction manager-at-risk and architect contained in the packet; the superintendent and finance director provided timeline and funding details as part of the information items. District leaders cautioned that final fund disbursement depends on the School Facilities Board's signed terms and conditions. The superintendent said the district will demolish the existing end-of-useful-life classrooms after the new building is complete. Less critical details: the superintendent noted the district's robust career and technical education offerings and said some new space may be used to expand those programs. The superintendent also said the district expects the newly built classrooms will better serve students with severe and profound special needs.