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Abington board moves toward referendum after two-year facilities review, consultants recommend single new middle school
Summary
After two years of study and public surveys, consultants presented options and recommended a single new middle school. Board members signaled support and directed the superintendent to prepare a referendum question for a future meeting.
After two years of facility assessments, public outreach and scientific polling, Abington School District consultants recommended seeking voter approval for a single new middle school rather than renovating the existing building or building two separate middle schools.
The recommendation followed a December 2024 telephone survey of 500 residents (margin of error ±4.5%) and an open online survey. Todd Rapp of Rapp Strategies and Phil Solomon of ICS summarized results showing broad public interest in a referendum: “90% of your residents want a chance to make this decision,” Rapp told the Board during the Jan. 14 meeting. Poll testing of three referendum scenarios found the single-new-school option (referendum B) drew stronger support than a two-school plan once cost and monthly tax impacts were shown.
Why it matters: consultants said the district’s existing middle school has many major systems…
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