Performance Services lays out 20‑year facilities plan for Elkhart Community Schools; near‑term price tag in the hundreds of millions

Performance Services presented a districtwide physical‑conditions assessment of Elkhart Community Schools at the board’s Aug. 26 public work session, outlining building‑by‑building scores, recommended repairs and multiple project packages to guide maintenance and capital planning over the next 10 to 20 years.

The report, produced after a five‑month survey of the district’s roughly 30 buildings, catalogs interior finishes, site and envelope conditions, accessibility, and building systems and assigns a weighted score for each facility. Performance Services said the district’s total replacement value for buildings is about $1.1 billion (land not included) and offered two planning figures: roughly $358 million to complete every recommended improvement now, and a $513 million estimate after applying an annual 5% escalation factor the consultant used for long‑range budgeting.

"What this is going to provide ECS is a very clear and a very proactive plan to help you manage your facilities from an operational and maintenance perspective," Performance Services Business Development Manager Tony Kuykendall said. "We prepared a strategic plan to help the district look at the next 10, the next 20 years of how you operate and maintain all of your facilities."

Why it matters

The assessment flags aging mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment that staff have maintained beyond typical life expectancies, as well as accessibility shortcomings—especially restrooms—and a mix of older windows and roofing in some schools. Performance Services said major systems,…