FILE:  FJ

Cf:  EB, EBG

ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL FACILITY PRESERVATION PROGRAM

The Orleans Parish School Facilities Preservation Program shall be established by the Orleans Parish School Board pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:100.11.  This program is designed to provide emergency and planned capital repairs and replacements for public school facilities in Orleans Parish.

It is the desire of the Orleans Parish School Board that this policy recognizes and provides equitably for all public school facilities in Orleans Parish, regardless of which governing authorities oversee the schools operating in those school facilities.  The School Board also intends that in the further development, revision, or implementation of this policy, every effort shall be made to collaborate with the Recovery School District and charter school operators to ensure unified requirements and procedures.

For the purposes of this policy, a public school facility shall be defined as a school building owned by the Orleans Parish School Board and controlled by either the School Board or the Recovery School District and all facilities otherwise part of the school, recognized as part of the facilities, and typically available to the school, its students, faculty, and staff.

For the purposes of this policy, an emergency shall be defined as damage to or a malfunction in buildings or property which involves an emergent and imminent necessity for repair, reconstruction or maintenance in order to permit the safe continuation of a necessary public use or function, to protect the property of the School Board, and/or to protect the life, health, or safety of facility occupants.

The Superintendent shall administer the program as set forth below until all bonds held by the School Board and in existence as of July 1, 2014 are retired.  Prior to the retirement of such bonds, the School Board shall amend this policy to address the additional elements of the program that will come into effect upon the retirement of the bonds.

1. Funding
   
   The School Board shall dedicate a portion of sales and ad valorem taxes to the Orleans Parish School Facility Preservation Program in accordance with applicable state law, designated as facility funds.
   
   Each year, the School Board shall determine the total number of students attending school at each public school facility in Orleans Parish.  For the purposes of this policy, the total number of students attending each public school facility shall be based on the most recent official state February 1st total student enrollment count for each public school facility, excluding the following students:

1. • Students paying tuition to attend a preschool program;
     
     

   • Students attending a preschool program at a Type III Early Learning Center in partnership with a public school; and
     
     

   • Students who do not reside in Orleans Parish.

1. Based on these enrollment counts, the School Board shall transfer to the Recovery School District a proportion of the facility funds equal to the proportion of students attending school at public school facilities that are controlled by the Recovery School District to the total number of students in public schools.

2. Facilities Office
   
   The School Board and the Recovery School District shall each create a facilities office.  The facilities funds generated shall be used to fund the following activities of the facilities office:

1. • Inspect and monitor facilities to ensure that they are being maintained and that each campus is in compliance with maintenance and inspection requirements; and
     
     

   • Manage building leases, handle emergency repair needs, and administer the revolving facility loan fund and school facility repair and replacement accounts.

2. The facilities office may provide additional facility services to charter schools, including emergency and capital repairs or replacements, procurement services, and technical assistance, and charge fees for such services pursuant to a written agreement with the school.

    

   A total amount of facility funds equal to no more than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per pupil for the total number of students attending public school facilities controlled by the Orleans Parish School Board, based on the student enrollment counts set forth above, shall be used to fund the operations of the facilities office.  The School Board may adjust this per pupil amount on an annual basis by the lesser of the most recent annual increase in the Consumer Price Index published by the United States Department of Labor or in the minimum foundation program funds.

    

   After funding the operations of the facilities office, the remaining facility funds shall be used to provide for emergency repairs, replacements, no more than 10% of project costs for project administration, and planning for the full implementation of the School Facility Preservation Program upon expiration of the bonds identified in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:100.11.

3. Implementation
   
   The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall be responsible for developing administrative regulations and procedures for implementation of this policy.

4. Reporting
   
   Annually, the School Board shall report the amounts, by source, of facility funds, the amount retained by the School Board, the amount transferred to the Recovery School District, and the student counts used in such calculations.  This report shall be included as a schedule to the annual financial statements of the School Board, audited by its certified public accountant, and submitted to the Louisiana Department of Education, all in a manner substantially similar to that provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:1990(C)(2)(a)(iii)(dd).
   
   The School Board and the Recovery School District shall annually prepare and issue a joint public report on the Orleans Parish School Facility Preservation Program that includes, at a minimum, the following:

1. • the amount allocated to fund the facilities office(s); and
     
     

   • the cost and type of each emergency repair or other expense made by the facilities office.

4. The report shall be presented to the Orleans Parish School Board and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Revised:  March 16, 2017

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:100.11, 17:1990

Board minutes, 3-16-17

Orleans Parish School Board