With more than 3 billion US dollars of critical maintenance work that are required in the buildings of public schools in Chicago, but only have limited money for work, the district leaders presented a modest proposal for the construction of repairs on Wednesday. They prioritized roof and boiler replacement, asbestos removal and upgrades into the internet infrastructure.
The CPS capital budget, which financed construction and construction maintenance projects for this school year, is around 9% smaller at $ 611 million than in the previous year. Almost everything is paid for by borrowing, while the city gives help through tax increasing or TIF, dollar and state financing.
CPS is the only district in Illinois that has no way to achieve new income for construction or maintenance. Therefore, new debt is required year after year to finance most projects.
The district said that he would advance the “needs of the critical institution” and the improvement of school interior with 369 million US dollars in the new capital plan. This includes important roof and external projects at 21 schools. CPS also sets 80 million US dollars for unexpected or emergency repairs.
These funds will only cover a part of what CPS has identified as a “immediate” critical needs of more than 3.2 billion US dollars in its aging facilities in district – generally repairs so that a building works safely and properly. The 522 campus of the school system are an average of 85 years old. The district recently stated its facilities and expected to determine additional critical requirements.
“The costs of repairing CPS buildings have far exceeded what CPS could afford in the past,” said Ivan Hansen, Chief Facilities Officer from CPS.
The funds for repairs and improvements include $ 9.9 million to increase the accessibility of Americans with disabilities in 14 schools. Another 12.7 million US dollars are dedicated to designing and building new playgrounds, playbacks and schoolyards across the city. Many concrete playgrounds have dangerous potholes.
Some of these upgrades are part of the program for growing space that installs new playground devices and replaced asphalt with green spaces that can also help control the flood. Thirty -thirty primary schools received upgrades as part of the program, and five others are to be opened in autumn, said CPS.
The next largest part of the funds is intended for improving the information technology infrastructure of the district.
CPS sets up 113 million US dollars for improving its network. Officials said the technology increasingly played an important role in the classroom. This is more than twice the 54 million US dollars that it has set aside for IT projects in the capital budget of the past year.
According to CPS, the funds would help improve cyber security, to improve data storage and to improve network reliability and internet speed in schools by replacing the alternate goods.
District manager said that the proposed budget budget is concerned with prioritization of projects in communities with the greatest needs. The vast majority of the financing goes to projects in schools that mostly serve low -income pupils as well as black and Latin American students.
The capital plan is part of a total of 10.25 billion US dollars proposed to the Board of Education at its monthly meeting on August 28 for approval.