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Marblehead staff explore early‑childhood center options; MSBA interest and feasibility costs under review
Summary
Facilities staff said they contacted the Massachusetts School Building Authority to ask whether the MSBA will accept statements of interest for stand‑alone early‑childhood centers. Staff estimated preparing a statement of interest would take about 20 staff hours and a feasibility study could cost roughly $80,000 to $110,000; both the school commi
Facilities staff reported they have asked the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) whether the agency will accept statements of interest (SOIs) for a stand‑alone early‑childhood center and outlined next steps and potential costs.
Mike, a facilities staff member, said his experience is that the MSBA historically has not funded stand‑alone pre‑K centers unless they are part of a larger building project, though he added the agency may be shifting its approach because of statewide early‑childhood mandates. "My experience has been with the MSBA that they don't typically fund early childhood centers...but I did reach out to them," Mike said. He told the committee that if the MSBA will accept an SOI, preparing that submission typically requires about 20 staff hours and that the district has a two‑ to three‑month window to submit.
If the MSBA accepts an SOI and later invites the district into its process, a feasibility study would be required. Mike said he asked David Sandon, who served as OPM on the Brown School, for an estimate; Sandon told staff a feasibility study for an early‑childhood center would likely cost around $80,000, possibly up to $110,000. "He said it could go as high as a 110, but he felt it was gonna be probably around a that 80, $90,000 mark," a committee member relayed.
Staff explained the approvals required to submit an SOI: endorsement from both the school committee and the select board is needed to file with the MSBA, and that MSBA acceptance does not guarantee timeline or funding — acceptance typically leads to further study, and it can take years before construction, if any, occurs. The MSBA reimbursement rate for Marblehead is lower than for higher‑need communities, so staff cautioned that MSBA participation might add program elements that increase total project cost and could make MSBA involvement less financially attractive.
Next steps: staff will report back after MSBA responds. The subcommittee discussed pursuing both routes — preparing an SOI if MSBA will accept it and, simultaneously, considering a locally funded feasibility study so the town has options if MSBA does not take the project. Staff also noted possible sources for an internal feasibility study, including using surplus closeout funds if available.
