Colorado Springs School District No. 11
Long-Range School Use Task Force Charge 

Summary.  The district intends to conduct a long-range school use study to address the effective and efficient use of schools and facilities across School District No. 11.  This effort will include conducting a study or series of studies that look at all aspects of the utilization of the districts physical assets, most specifically its schools, and to make recommendations to the Superintendent and Board of Education.  This project will require creation of a major District Task Force to accomplish the study or to oversee the work of subcommittees and related district work groups.  This task force will exist for the duration of the work and then will disband.   

Expected Outcomes.  A report to the Superintendent and the Board of Education that includes a long-range school use master plan and an updated Five-Year Capital Investment and Funding Plan (the Capital Plan).  

Strategic Plan Goals Alignment.  This issue supports the District’s Strategic Plan Goals as follows:

• Goal #1; Student Achievement – The school facilities are known to be a major factor affecting the learning environment, the optimum use of the district’s school facilities should facilitate efforts of improving student achievement.
• Goal #2; Safety – The way school facilities are used can impact safety of students and staff by limiting overcrowding and fostering a more friendly environment.
• Goal #4; Community – The process will involve considerable communications and interaction with the community and stakeholder.
• Goal #5; Effective and Efficient – The process will require an extensive look and evaluation of the effective and efficient use of the district’s assets and resources.

Concept framework.  This is a multi-phased effort that embodies the Baldrige approach of plan-do-study-act (PDSA).  As such, the first phase of the effort is focused on the planning processes that lead up to decisions and actions that will directly relate to the use and necessary improvements or changes to the physical plant of the district’s schools.  More than likely, this will involve a major capital construction program funded probably by a bond. Consequently, the district’s five-year Capital Plan update process runs parallel to and has been incorporated into the first phase.  Follow-on phases will address actions that will be needed once the planning phase is completed. 

Phase I Charge:

1) Perform a utilization study of district schools.

a) Collect and analyze data involving current and projected student enrollment for all schools and attendance areas across the district looking out for at least ten years.

b) Update the district’s schools capacity model.

c) Compare school capacities and current and projected enrollments individually, geographically and by level.

d) Identify and evaluate opportunities for better utilization of existing and future assets.

2) Present a long-term (at least ten-year) capital assets renewal plan.

a) Collect and analyze data on the physical condition of existing school assets.

b) Review the district’s a long-term (at least ten-year) capital assets renewal plans.

c) Identify and evaluate opportunities for improvement.

3) Investigate and study school use and instructional delivery concepts including, but not limited to year-round school; new schools; and smaller high schools.

4) Develop a long-range school use master plan that incorporates the above.

a) Formulate and evaluate options.

b) Cost implementation of options.

5) Develop a communication plan to engage all stakeholders in the process, and to keep them informed of progress, recommendations and decisions.

6) Update the district’s Five-Year Capital Plan; include funding recommendation

7) Report recommendations to the Superintendent and the Board of Education. 

Phase II:

If the district’s Capital Plan calls for a major capital construction program and/or a bond, develop and implement appropriate supporting strategies and tasks. 

Phase III:

If the district plans support major changes in the school physical plant, like new schools or school closures, develop and implement supporting strategies and tasks, including but not limited to a boundary study. 

The Task Force’s Composition.  This project will require creation of a District Task Force that will exist for the duration of the work and then will disband.  This Task Force will require representation from a broad spectrum of the district ranging from the various divisions, school levels, and employee groups to the community.  It is envisioned that this project will spawn a series of subcommittees and work groups to study and address various aspects of the work.  One such major effort will be to review and make recommendations on the new five-Year Capital Plan.  

The Task Force should include representation from the following sectors if feasible (Note: individual Task Force members may represent more than one area): 

• D-11 Schools staff
• The D-11 community (the public, with representation from across the D-11 geographic areas and all school levels)
• DAAC/DAAC Budget Committee
• The District Sounding Boards
• Local government
• Expertise of local demographics
• Higher educational community
• Facilities management/engineering expertise
• K-12 Instructional programs expertise
• he business community
• Chamber of Commerce/EDC
• Military Community
• D-11 employee groups
• D-11 Administrative staff
• D-11 Board of Education liaison  

The District staff liaison is Frank Bernhard, Executive Director, Facilities, Operations and Transportation. 

Advisory, ad-hoc, non-voting district staff and stakeholder representatives may be called upon to assist the citizens committee as requested. 

Schedule.  It is envisioned that the duration of this Task Force may cover multiple years, however the first phase is expected to be limited to only about 12 months.  Task Force meetings will be held as necessary, but are expected to generally be monthly.  Upon completion of the above charge, the committee is expected to become inactive between the study phases, except perhaps to answer occasional questions as asked by the Board. 

The basic milestones include:

The Task Force may communicate with the BOE at other times as deemed necessary. The Administration will provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force as needed.

Approved by the Board of Education on June 11, 2003.