Randolph County Schools reviews $54 million replacement, consolidation options in facilities assessment

Superintendent Jacobs presented results of a state-funded infrastructure assessment and a consultant report showing options to repair, replace or consolidate aging Randolph County school buildings, and recommended a staff work session to review next steps.

The report, paid for by the federal/state infrastructure program, includes engineers’ condition assessments and a subsequent compilation by Scout Grama Management that estimated roughly $54,000,000 to tear down and replace main campus buildings and about $28,000,000 to renovate existing buildings, according to Jacobs. ‘‘No matter what we do, we don't have the funds right now to do it,’’ Jacobs said, adding he had sent the information to Montgomery to request funding.

The assessment reviewed each campus’s square footage, replacement and renovation costs, and scenarios for consolidation. Jacobs said the firm modeled four broad options: leave buildings as-is, renovate existing sites, tear down and replace on existing sites, or consolidate some schools (for example, building a new comprehensive high school and a county middle school on the Randolph County High School campus). The consultant’s projection places a consolidated high school at about 600 students and a consolidated middle school at about 600 students.

Jacobs described the age range of facilities: Woodland buildings dating to the 1950s, Wadley buildings to the 1960s, Rock Mills buildings to the 1920s and the middle school to the 1960s, while some elementary buildings have been modernized. He said Scout Grama Management provided detailed page-by-page breakdowns of building footprints and estimated replacement costs and that the district supplied current enrollment numbers for the models.

On potential funding, Jacobs said the only local option mentioned at the meeting would be ‘‘some type of property tax increase or something like that,’’ and he noted any major tax measure would require a public vote. He also said consolidation could include an integrated trade school similar to arrangements in neighboring systems, but that staffing and program shifts would depend on whatever path the board chooses.

Jacobs proposed bringing the consultant back for a board work session to walk trustees through the numbers and answer questions; he said his office will share the full Google Doc report and circulate possible dates. ‘‘I don't really care. But I think for the future of our kids that are gonna be here, we need to do something to our facilities,’’ Jacobs said, emphasizing program needs such as computer labs and robotics.

No board action or vote was taken on facilities at the meeting; Jacobs said the district may also choose to make no changes. The consultant report is available in the superintendent’s office and Jacobs said he will provide dates for a follow-up work session.