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Board reviews facilities condition report and 2026 capital plan tied to bond and 8% funds
Summary
District staff reviewed the McMillan & Smith facilities condition report, the district's five-year facilities plan and a proposed 2026 capital program that addresses health, safety, mechanical and interior needs using bond proceeds, 8% capacity funds and a fall callable bond issuance.
School District Five staff reviewed a district facilities condition report and presented a proposed 2026 capital-improvement program that uses bond proceeds, the district's 8% capacity funds and a recent fall bond issuance to address high-priority building needs.
"This facilities condition report was conducted by MPS McMillan and Smith. They published the report in August of 2023," said a district administrator presenting the NPS report to the board, describing an inventory that identified 11,137 items with an estimated cost of about $182 million. The administrator said the district was adding roughly 29 new work orders per day to that list, making the programmatic backlog dynamic.
Officials told trustees the bond passed in November provides $240 million and that the district sets aside approximately $15 million annually for capital projects; a fall callable-bond issuance yielded an additional $15 million that the administration proposed to apply to facilities needs. The board packet and staff presentation described using $11 million of annual 8% capacity funding for routine capital needs while allocating targeted bond monies to schools with lower condition scores.
Director of Facilities Operations (presentation) and technology staff outlined major categories in the proposed 2026 capital program: health, safety and security, building envelope, mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP), site conditions and interiors. Staff highlighted expected investments in HVAC replacements, building-automation controls, site drainage and paving (noting expensive retention-pond and drainage work needed at Crossroads), classroom flooring and signage, furniture replacement cycles and a new line item for band and orchestra instruments. The presentation included a request to place band instruments on a regular replacement cycle.
Jenny Gares, director of technology, described network infrastructure and device-replacement cycles. She said the district is completing a switch refresh over several years and uses a five-year replacement cycle for staff laptops and a five-year student device cycle tied to third- and eighth-grade device purchases; Chromebooks for younger students are generally kept in-classroom rather than sent home. Trustees raised questions about screen time for early learners, how older schools handle data-closet cooling loads, and whether refurbished devices are reused.
The board discussed equity and the role of parent fundraising: administrators said capital standards differ because schools were built at different times, and the district currently lacks a single fund to equalize PTO-raised resources between schools. Superintendent Ross said the administration plans to align the five-year capital program with the district strategic plan and to propose a multi-year approach to reduce disparities.
No final capital appropriations were approved at the meeting; staff said they will return with prioritized project lists and recommended procurement actions.
