School building repairs to cost at least $2.3 billion

LITTLE ROCK - Repairing Arkansas' crumbling public school buildings and bringing them up to an adequate standard will cost at least $2.3 billion and could balloon to twice that amount, legislators learned Tuesday.

School construction experts who assessed the state's 6,569 temporary and permanent school buildings as part of a state Supreme Court order told legislators $2.278 billion is needed to repair existing problems. Another $586 million is needed to enlarge classrooms and fund other renovations to ensure all buildings meet an "educational suitability" standard, the group said.

The total rises to $4.5 billion when figuring in enrollment growth over the next five years and considering the expense of keeping buildings that are currently in an acceptable condition from deteriorating to an unacceptable condition.

"You've got a $2 billion to $3 billion issue on your hands. How you slice it, dice it and make it work is your decision," said construction executive Scott Copas, who led the volunteer task force that reported to the Joint Committee on Educational Facilities on Tuesday.

Finding money to pay for the repairs is expected to dominate the 2005 regular legislative session and the debate could revive a push for another round of school consolidation to maximize the state's investment in school buildings.

"This will be the issue that drives the 85th General Assembly," said state Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant and co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Educational Facilities.

Gov. Mike Huckabee called the total figure "staggering" but acknowledged the court mandate and said the task could be accomplished over time.

"Although the price tag is a staggering amount, it's based on a meticulous, professional process that deserves our respect and appreciation," Huckabee said in a prepared statement. "We're faced with the challenge of upgrading school facilities, but we're not required to do it all at one time."

He said it would be critical to find funding that "won't create havoc for other necessary parts of state government." He suggested looking first at the state's general improvement funds.

"Using the lion's share of these funds for schools would be a responsible expenditure for truly local but necessary projects," Huckabee said.

In 2002, Arkansas' highest court ordered the state to bring its unconstitutional education system up to adequate and equitable standards.

Legislators raised the state sales tax seven-eighths of a cent in a special session this year as part of a $370 million package for academic improvements such as raising teacher salaries, toughening high school graduation requirements and expanding preschool programs.

The court's order also said the state must ensure its 450,000 public school students attend school in acceptable buildings with the equipment needed to ensure they have an adequate education.

Tuesday's report was compiled after an $8.8 million assessment of the state's more than 84 million square-feet of school buildings. William DeJong, president of Ohio-based company DeJong & Associates that spearheaded the assessment, told legislators that repairing school buildings statewide will be expensive.

"I know these numbers all sound hard to deal with. I've never seen where the cost of construction is less than the estimated costs," he said.

But DeJong said the repairs will be more expensive each year they are delayed because of building deterioration and rising construction costs.

The report prioritized repairs, listing them in four categories. The most urgent category included $86.6 million in repairs needed to ensure the health and safety of building occupants.

"If we do nothing else, we at least have to do the $86 million, that cannot wait," Broadway said.

The second category totaled $1.7 billion and included repairs to plumbing, ventilation and other "integral building systems." The third category included repairs needed to maximize the efficiency of building operations and maintain the building at a "safe, dry, and healthy" standard. That cost was $110 million.