Capital  Improvement  ProposalCapital  Project  Sales  Tax  Commission

May  12,  2014

Edward  Foster,  Board  ChairAlison  Thomas,  School  Director

What  is  a  Charter  School?• Charter  Schools  are  public  schools  of  CHOICE!

• Charter  Schools  are  non-­‐sectarian,  non-­‐religious,  non-­‐homebased  and  non-­‐profit  corporations  

• Charter  Schools  operate  within  and  are  accountable  to  a  public  school  district

-­‐  SC  Charter  Schools  Act

What  is  a  Charter  School?–The  SC  Charter  Schools  Act  (1996)  outlines  the  need  for  “new,  innovative  and  more  flexible  ways  of  educating  all  children.”

Who  are  we?

• Riverview  Charter  School  is:– Beaufort  County’s  first  charter  school  (2009)

– Beaufort  County’s  only  locally  sponsored  public  charter  school

– A  Faculty  &  Staff  of  75  full  &  part-­‐time  employees– Currently  operating  in  the  former  Shell  Point  Elementary  school  in  Port  Royal

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ENROLLEDAPPLICANTS

WAIT LISTWho  do  we  serve?

• 488  students  in  Kindergarten  through  8th  grade,  all  Beaufort  County  residents

• The  School  will  increase  student  enrollment  each  year  until  reaching  its  maximum  enrollment  of  684  students  in  2018

Data  on  image  from  2012-­‐2013

24%$

57%$

19%$

Student'Demographics'(2014815)'

African$American$

White$

Other$

Student  Body

Commitment  to  the  Community

Riverview’s  mission  is  to  create  a  small,  diverse  learning  community  that  actively  engages  students  in  meaningful  and  innovative  learning  experiences.

Emphasizing  “learning  by  doing”,  family  and  community  involvement,  and  engaged  citizenship,  Riverview  is  committed  to  nurturing  the  whole  child  and  preparing  

each  student  for  a  global  society.

Commitment  to  the  Community

Riverview’s  mission  is  to  create  a  small,  diverse  learning  community  that  actively  engages  students  in  meaningful  and  innovative  learning  experiences.

Emphasizing  “learning  by  doing”,  family  and  community  involvement,  and  engaged  citizenship,  Riverview  is  committed  to  nurturing  the  whole  child  and  preparing  

each  student  for  a  global  society.

Innovation  and  AccountabilityRanked  among  the  top  3%  of  public  schools  in  

South  Carolina!

• Perfect  100%  Federal  Report  Card  Rating  – Both  Elementary  &  Middle  School  grade  levels

• Palmetto  Gold  School– Both  Elementary  &  Middle  School  grade  levels

• State  Report  Card  Rating  – Excellent  Overall  &  Excellent  Growth  for  both  Elementary  &  Middle  School  grade  levels

Operating  Expenses

3%4%10%

6%

20%

57%

SalariesBenefits/TaxesSupplies/EquipmentFacility ExpensesSupport ServicesLegal & Fiscal Services

2013-­‐2014

Facilities  Costs

$85,000

$10,400$4,000

$91,700

$5,700

$270,000

RentWater & SewerCustodialProperty InsuranceTrash ServiceElectric & Gas

2013-­‐2014

The  Challenge...

• Capital  funding  for  construction  of  facilities  • By  August  2016  we  will  outgrow  our  current  facility• Strategies  under  investigation  include:

– Designing  &  building  a  new  facility– Renovating  &  expanding  our  current  facility

Capital  Improvement  Program  Opportunity

• Eliminates  the  greatest  financial  risk  the  School  faces,  cementing  the  school’s  longevity  as  a  public  school  of  choice  for  all  Beaufort  County  residents

• Value  of  teaching  and  learning  at  all  public  schools  is  immeasurable  and  providing  students  appropriate  facilities  should  parallel  that  thinking

• Facility  condition  has  enormous  impact  on  student  achievement

Proposal  #1:  Construct  a  new  facility• Project  Cost:  $18-­‐22MM

• LEED-­‐certified• Opportunities  for  broadbase  community  use:– Athletic  fields– Performing  

Arts  Center– Media  Center

Riverview  Elementary  School,  Snohomish,  Washington

Proposal  #2:  Recycle  current  facility• Project  Cost:  $8MM

• Negotiate  with  Beaufort  County  School  District  for  long-­‐term  use  of  current  facility

• Renovate  current  structure

• Construct  additional  space  as  required

Buckingham  County  Primary  &  Elementary  Schools,  Dillwyn,  Virginia

Criteria  for  Consideration

Can  Project  Be  Funded  From  Other  Sources?

• No  -­‐  not  without  diverting  operational  dollars  out  of  the  classroom!  Under  state  law,  charter  schools  are  not  independently  eligible  for  existing  federal,  state  or  local  capital  funds  

Will  Project  Create  Revenue?• “Research  indicates  that  quality  public  schools  help  

make  states  and  localities  more  economically  competitive.”

• “Public  schools  indisputably  influence  residential  property  values.”

• “The  existing  empirical  evidence  indicates  that  K-­‐12  expenditures  have  the  effect  of  increasing:  personal  income,  manufacturing  investments  and  employment;  number  of  small  business  starts;  and  the  residential  labor  force  available  in  a  metropolitan  area.”

• 1  Public  Schools  and  Economic  Development:  What  the  Research  Shows,  KnowledgeWorks  Foundation,  Jonathan  D.  Weiss,  2004• 2  (K-­‐12  Education  in  the  US  Economy,  National  Education  Association,  2004)

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Maintenance  and  Personnel  Costs  Once  Project  Complete?

• The  School  has  sufficient  operating  funds  for  the  maintenance  and  personnel  associated  with  a  permanent  facility,  once  constructed

Creating  Jobs

• Preserves  existing  positions  while  creating  additional  employment  opportunities  for  an  expanded  faculty  and  staff

• Design  and  renovation/construction  of  a  100,000sf  facility  will  create  short-­‐term  construction  jobs  and  long-­‐term  facility  maintenance  opportunities

Helping  Beaufort  County  As  a  Whole

• As  the  only  Beaufort  County  sponsored  public  charter  school,  Riverview  is  unique  in  that  it  can  only  serve  students  in  Beaufort  County,  but  given  its  county-­‐wide  student  attendance  zone  can  impact  any  family  county-­‐wide

• Public  charters  serve  as  incubators  for  innovation  in  public  education

Cost  Benefit  Scenario

• Every  operational  dollar  not  applied  to  capital  expenses  is  available  to  support  teaching  and  learning  in  the  classroom  • If  funded,  up  to  $10MM  in  interest  payments  will  be  saved  and  not  paid  to  out  of  state  investors,  keeping  those  dollars  in  our  classrooms  where  they  recirculate  in  our  local  community!

THANK    YOU!

“Never  doubt  that  a  small  group  of  thoughtful,  committed  citizens  can  change  the  world.  Indeed,  it  is  the  only  thing  that  ever  has.”                                                                                                                                                                

~Margaret  Mead