Dumas ISD

February 2019Genesis Partnership

About Dr. Trautman

Teacher – Principal - Central Office Administrator – Developer - Facility Consultant

Specialized doctoral training, + post-doctoral fellowship

Head Facility guy in 2 of 100 largest U.S. districts

Consultant to 5 state departments; 200 school districts

1. Guided by Equality, by Parity.

2. Long-term Use orientation

3. Data for Decision-making

4. …and, thought stimulators; areobjectively blind

FINDINGS History of last 10 years, decline following growth in early years Projected change next 10 years, decline averaging 35 per year

4,466 4,6774,301 3,951

3,865

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

EE-12 History A - Based on 10 Yrs. History B - Based on 5 Yrs. History

Following is a summary table reporting the relative condition of each DISD school, preceded by the scoring

criteria.

Then you will see a discussion of the common, the shared challenges the existing inventory of school

buildings share, with some recommendations.

Lastly, it should be noted that this consultant has evaluated schools in 200+ Texas school districts, and the DISD schools are the cleanest we’ve seen, receiving

top-of-the-class for appearance, cleanliness and general ‘sparkle’. The citizens and employees are to be

congratulated for this.

What is a TYPICAL SCORE ?

Building Score General Evaluation

90-100% A school facility of exceptional quality

75-89% Serves program needs well; some minor orcomponent improvements are needed

60-74% Facility needs substantial or major rehabilitation

46-59% Complete renovation or replacement indicated:a more detailed study may need to be completedprior to a final decision

0-45% Abandon and/or replace the facility

District Facilities - Composite Scores

KEY 90–100% A school facility of exceptional quality 75–89% Serves program well; some minor or component improvements needed 60–74% Facility needs substantial or major rehabilitation 46–59% Complete renovation or replacement; a detailed study may be needed 00–45% Abandon and/or replace the facility

71.5%

51.8%

48.3%

78.4%

48.7%

52.2%

58.5%

51.8%41.9%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Opportunity CenterDumas HS

Dumas JHSDumas IS

Sunset ESMorningside ES

Hillcrest ESGreen Acres ES

Cactus ES

Substandard Classrooms– About 45% that are smaller than the current State

minimum standards.– Only about 12% of the current classrooms can be easily

renovated to support contemporary instruction.

% classrms. % classrms. % classrms.meet % rms. outsideSchool substandard StateStandard Instr.Standard State Standards TotalCactus ES 48% 36% 15% 0% 100%Green Acres ES 3% 43% 43% 11% 100%Hillcrest ES 19% 74% 0% 6% 100%Morningside ES 9% 45% 45% 0% 100%Sunset ES 85% 3% 9% 3% 100%Dumas IS 63% 24% 0% 12% 100%Dumas JHS 70% 22% 0% 8% 100%Dumas HS 45% 38% 4% 14% 100%NPOC 75% 25% 0% 0% 100%DISD Classrms. 45% 35% 12% 8% 100%

Aging Classrooms

– Nearly 90% of the district’s inventory of classrooms are 50 years or older

Refer to Appendix G in full report and tonight’s handout.

Plumbing

- This system is at failure in the 7 older schools

Technology Infrastructure

– Existing cable can’t carry any stronger signal and needs to be replaced.

Electrical Infrastructure

– operating at maximum capacity; even now can’t provide enough service

Asbestos Containing Material

– nearly 45% of DISD’s classrooms still have asbestos containing material in them.

– …issue must be mitigated with any improvements that involve any of these fiber sources (floor, mastic, ceiling tile, insulation…

Cactus ES 39.4%Green Acres ES 91.9%Hillcrest ES 83.9%Morningside ES 84.8%Sunset ES 6.1%Dumas IS 0.0%Dumas JHS 32.0%Dumas HS 42.5%NPOC 0.0% All Schools Total 44.1% Only Schools with Asbestos 51.5%

Classrooms with Asbestos

Energy Management System

- current system has failed…the software is no longer supported.

Miscellaneous Additional Infrastructure Concerns

• structural integrity issues,• fixtures failure, • insulated windows failure, • asphalt and concrete walks/lots failure, • lighting systems failure, • teaching boards failure (& shower board), • lay-in ceilings failure, • doors/hardware failure, and• athletic support facilities failure.

Small Sites– All the district’s existing school sites are smaller than needed to

adequately house the three/four functions of a school site…1) building improvements, 2) playgrounds/playfields, 3) vehicular circulation, queuing, and parking, and 4) competition venues.

RECOMMENDED SITE SIZES, in Useable Acres…

Elementary Schools 10 acres, plus 1 acre for every 100 pupils expected

Intermediate Schools 15 acres, plus 1 acre for every 100 pupils expected

Middle/Jr. High Schools 20 acres, plus 1 acre for every 100 pupils expected

High Schools 30 acres, plus 1 acre for every 100 pupils expected

Instructional Programs Under Stress

– The greatest challenge is from classrooms that are too small or inadequately arranged and furnished to support the targeted ‘whole-group & small-group’ instructional models.

– Nearly ½ of specialized facilities are inadequate.

Aging Kitchens and Equipment

– Much of the equipment is at failure; kitchens are neither designed nor equipped to respond to the changing environment in school food services.

– moving toward pre-packaged & single-servings

Campus Security• Campus Plans vs. Compact Plans

• Multiple Entries/Exits –The high school (a campus plan per this study) has multiple buildings and 44 different doors exiting outside. Surprisingly, the new school, the I.S., has 29 bldg exits

• Security Vestibules – This is the most replicated solution to improved building security.

• Portable Classroom Buildings –it is difficult to justify and accomplish linking except by outside passages. They do represent a security challenge to the entire campus. And they cost 3 times as much to operate as building classrooms.

• Aesthetics – May make them it look like a prison, not a school

Design Challenges with Older Schools

The existing, older school buildings:

1] were built close to corners of sites, limiting access options, parking, stacking (queuing),

2] have shallow room widths, making enlarged classrooms impractical an unwieldy, and

3] relatively haphazard building footprints with scattered choke-points make circulation and good spatial relationships very hard.

SchoolGross S/F

Ins.Records2018

EnrollmBldg. S/FPer pupil*

Estim. Bldg. Perimeter

Perim. feetPer pupil*

Instruct. S/F as% of Gross S/F**

Cactus ES 55,982 367 152.5 3,695 10.1 53.8%Green Acres ES 75,651 440 171.9 2,725 6.2 55.1%Hillcrest ES 52,171 311 130.4 1,277 3.2 62.6%Morningside ES 69,285 449 154.3 2,676 6.0 53.8%Sunset ES 56,414 298 141.0 2,365 5.9 53.8%Dumas IS 95,588 644 148.4 2,584 4.0 50.3%Dumas JHS 169,156 643 263.1 4,415 6.9 41.4%Dumas HS 220,585 1,111 198.5 6,615 6.0 52.0%Opportunity Center 12,018 38 218.5 406 7.4 46.9% * Adjusted to Current Estimated Capacity** Includes classrooms,library,gyms...no cafeteria,auditorium,offices,restrooms,storage

Measures of Efficient Design

Traffic Congestion

• Dealing with start-of-day or end-of-day traffic.– Options for traffic at dismissal are very limited.– Traffic control ‘standards’ can’t be applied.– Controlled haos is one apt description, EE-grade

8 schools.– Street-sharing a way of life at HS…and ALL

schools, for stacking.

Stadium Upgrades

Stadium and supporting spaces are 50 years or more old. – confirm the structural integrity of all bleachers

before major improvements.– Press-box and both concession/restroom

buildings need replacing– Handicapped access…ramps not conforming,

seating options inadequate.

Priority Maintenance of “Public-side” of Schools

– Historically, the district seems to have emphasized improvements that are generally in the public and visible areas of the schools.

– The same level of improvements is absent from most older instructional areas (HS is an example)

Preventive Maintenance vs. Delayed Maintenance

• Preventive maintenance is typically a goal, but it is often sacrificed and substitutes a ‘fix when broken’, or the more genteel ‘as needed’ reality.

• Because most educators and Board members choose to support the primary function and responsibility of schools, that of providing the best education possible, PM not practiced.

Renovations Gone Awry– The biggest challenge to renovate/replace evaluation: a school

maintained on an ‘as needed’ basis. The challenge is that the collection of failed systems, together with unknowns and surprises, is misjudged, and owners’ firm belief they will be able to fix at a lower cost than replacement.

– Typically in this renovation scenario, money runs out and some systems must go unrepaired (because the scope is cut) or ‘delayed’, and the heavy investment (65%-95% of replacement) pushes the owner to continue construction to recoup the investment… it comes with the cost to the community’s children and their education, because the available $$ haven’t finished the promised refurbishment.

– Cases in point… also, see BOMA’s Bldg. Systems Useful Life

Maintenance Costs & Limited Education $$

– For 40-55 year-old schools, consider erring in the direction that will free up as much operating money as possible (usually means replacement), reducing dollars for maintenance & operations, and reinvesting it in instruction.

– Replacement is probably the better option when responsible cost estimates of rehabilitation and repair approach 90% or more of replacement costs, and include an appropriate renovation contingency of 35%.

Sample School Evaluation Scores

Cactus ES

Dumas IS

Comparing tables shows areas of relative school strengths and weaknesses; RED bars more critical…

78.2%

86.9%

74.4%

81.9%

82.1%

78.2%

71.6%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%

BLDG. COMPOSITE SCORE

Appearance

Flexibility

Efficiency

Accessibility

Safety & Health

Educational Adequacy

BUILDING FUNCTIONS

Findings: BEST USE(S)

With respect to the older schools One option: redevelop the site; will require the existing improvements

to be razed. (look at options with city, recreation dept., non-profits, community users to accept responsibility for and use of existing gym[s])

Another Option: if not needed for redevelopment, repurpose the school with a low-occupancy use, either DISD, other agencies, or liquidation…

Regarding the better of the existing schools Evaluate costs associated with modest refurbishing of major systems at

Hillcrest, to allow it to; a) support phased replacements [temporaryhousing for displaced student bodies], or to continue for a designatedperiod [+/- 15 years] as a neighborhood ES.

Evaluate best elementary level options for repurposing the I.S., and the costs associated with needed renovations or additions.

Consider vacated school(s) as options for relocating NPOC, to allow enough space for program expansion as needed, returning current home to commercial/industrial use

Findings: CONCLUSIONS

Most Dumas ISD school buildings and the stadium, including major additions, were built between 1932 and 1976, making the majority [90%] of existing facilities more than 50 years old. Only the Intermediate School and NPOC are relatively new (2010 & 2002 respectively).

Dumas ISD’s schools need much investment; they have failing or failed systems and most warrant replacement or complete refurbishing. In addition, the older designs are inherently more costly to operate; most have a high ratio of outside wall to gross square feet, having a negative impact on the costs of heating and cooling, among other issues (slide #20).

Cactus ES should be taken out of service as soon as possible and the students relocated to an appropriate facility.

The Junior High (48.3%) and Sunset Elementary (48.7%) score next lowest; they cluster with Green Acres (51.8%), Morningside (52.2%), and the High School (51.8%) in a scoring band that ranges only about 4 percentage points – a relatively insignificant difference, with lower scores that usually indicate replacement as the better option.

There are isolated significant needs; refer to items numbered 1-8 under Findings – Facility Conditions. Note the program needs highlighted in number 5 of that listing to understand some of the specific and unique needs.

The older school buildings have a significant impediment to modernization; many classrooms were built with a 20’-22’ dimension from hallway walls to window (outside) walls. That narrow dimension does not allow the flexibility to create functional larger classrooms, especially to support the district’s instructional strategies.

In all of this, it should be noted that we saw evidence that Dumas ISD has some very dedicated staff members creating a good educational environment in all the schools, including in those facilities that now limit and handicap the instructional program.

Be sure to read the full report for more background, more detail, and more explanation of findings.