Surry County approves application for $62 million needs-based school capital grant for Surry Central High

The Surry County Board of Commissioners voted Sept. 15 to support Surry County Schools’ application to the North Carolina needs-based public school capital fund seeking the program’s maximum award, $62 million, to address major facility needs at Surry Central High School.

The Board approved the school system’s request to provide a 5% local match. Superintendent Travis Reeves told commissioners the match on the $62 million maximum would be $3.1 million, but the district can use $1 million previously allocated for design work to reduce the county’s new cash requirement to about $2.1 million. “What we are asking for tonight is a 5% local funding match based on the maximum grant award of 62,000,000,” Reeves said during the meeting.

Reeves said the Board of Education voted unanimously Sept. 8 to submit a single application focused on Surry Central after reviewing the Bill Powell facility study and other criteria used by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. He said DPI ranks grant applications by several factors including tier designation, ability to generate tax revenue, ratio of debt to tax revenue and whether a project renovates classrooms (a factor that scores highly). Reeves said Surry County’s return to tier 1 status improves its competitiveness.

Reeves presented enrollment and projection figures used to choose Surry Central as the single-application focus. He cited current enrollments of 723 students at North Surry High School, 632 at Surry Central High School and 558 at East Surry High School, and told commissioners the facility study projects a roughly 22% enrollment decline in the East District, a 10% decline in the North District and a 3% decline in the Central District by about 2031–2032 based on current cohorts. “If we look at East Surrey’s projections today in 2031, 2032, we're looking at, a 22% decline,” Reeves said.

Reeves and county staff said the district is applying for the maximum amount because past DPI feedback indicated full-campus renovation proposals that include classroom renovation score higher on the “critical deficiency” rubric; DPI’s reviewers prioritize classroom-related work over standalone cafeteria or kitchen projects. Reeves said the district plans to consolidate several educational programs at the Surry Central campus if awarded funds and that the work already done on master campus planning and design should strengthen the application: “This is not some fresh idea. This is something they have been working on for a long time,” he said.

Commissioners questioned the decision to focus on Surry Central rather than spread requests across the county’s three high schools. Several commissioners expressed concern for students and facilities at the two high schools not selected, but they did not block the application. County manager Chris Knauth and staff clarified that state rules and the grant cap make awarding multiple maximum grants to different systems in one county unlikely; a county-wide cap of $62 million was referenced by staff.

The Board voted to submit the application and later adopted a resolution supporting Surry County Schools’ needs-based public school capital fund application. The motions passed with the board saying “Aye;” no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.

If awarded, the grant would fund major construction or renovation work at Surry Central that Reeves said could include new or fully renovated classrooms, kitchen/cafeteria replacement and consolidation of programs. Reeves said the application deadline is Oct. 3 and that the district has been working on preconstruction planning and design that DPI reviewers will see as evidence of readiness.

Funding plan and next steps: Reeves told commissioners the district will use the $1 million already provided for design services to reduce the local cash match required if the full grant is awarded. The county manager said the county’s contribution would come from the dedicated capital improvement fund and that staff would present details of any financing plan if the grant were awarded. Reeves also noted the grant program has been competitive; some prior awarded projects across the state received full funding and the agency has limited slots for maximum awards.

The board’s support completes the local approvals required to include the county’s assurance page and resolution in the grant packet to DPI.