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Superintendent unveils phased plan to repurpose five schools; master plan vendor and funding options in focus
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Chapman and Dr. Brown presented a multi‑phase facilities realignment plan June 3 to repurpose five schools over several years to better align facilities with instructional goals; the board and administration discussed boundaries, timelines, a facilities master plan RFQ, and financing approaches for larger projects such as West Broad Elementary.
Superintendent Dr. Talisa Chapman told the Columbus City School Board on June 3 that the district must realign school buildings to better match instructional goals and support larger, more resource‑rich feeder patterns.
"Instruction and student experience are at the core of this vision," Chapman said, arguing that many small, aging buildings limit program options and service continuity. Administration identified five sites for initial realignment: Broadley Elementary, 'Mhler' Elementary, McGuffy Elementary (site of Columbus Alternative High School), Buckeye Middle School, and West Broad Elementary.
Dr. Brown outlined a phased timeline. Phase one (Broadley and 'Mhler') is planned so those buildings would cease being used for instruction at the end of the 2025–26 school year and receiving schools would start hosting students in 2026–27. Phase two (McGuffy/Cause) is expected no earlier than 2027–28. Phase three addresses Buckeye and grade‑configuration work; phase four (West Broad) is contingent on securing funding and could take about three years from design to completion.
Administration emphasized community engagement and practical steps: boundary determinations with community input by late November for the first phase; family notification and "school joining" activities beginning in December; preferential lotteries in mid‑late March; and finalized transportation information in August. The district pledged to prioritize continuity for students receiving special education and language support services.
Board members pressed for a detailed engagement strategy and clarity about which programs and services would be available at receiving schools. The treasurer briefed the board on four financing options for capital work — paygo (permanent improvement funds), a short‑term tax anticipation note (TAN), certificates of participation (up to 30 years), or a public‑private partnership — and said funds could be available within roughly 12–16 weeks if the board decided to act quickly.
Administration said it is negotiating a contract with a vendor to produce an updated facilities master plan; that procurement will be brought to the board as a separate agenda item for approval before the planning work begins. Separately, the district presented a proposed short‑term contract (later tabled) to help build capacity in the capital improvements team so staff can manage the larger portfolio of PI‑funded projects and realignment work.
Superintendent Chapman and staff framed the plan as a strategy to expand access to services such as special education and ESL at neighborhood schools and to create larger grade‑banded schools that can offer broader curricula and extracurricular options. They said many elementary schools (48) currently enroll fewer than 350 students and many secondary sites (20) have enrollments under 500, constraining programming.
The board requested more specific timelines and a public‑friendly one‑page summary of phase one/phase two priorities and proposed that the engagement committee further refine outreach strategies in the fall as the district prepares boundary proposals.
