School Adequate Public Facilities Program and Funding Review Committee DRAFT Work Plan

School Adequate Public Facilities Program and Funding Review Committee

DRAFT

Work Plan

Charge

The Committee shall evaluate the County’s approach to ensuring adequate public acilities for schools in the development approval process to determine if the current policy is achieving the stated goals. The Committee should also develop solutions for addressing the timing of providing adequate school facilities to match the planned growth in the County. The Committee should work with designated staff to explore the feasibility and make recommendations on the best method to work through the issues related to school redistricting, school capacity allocation, and the timing and methods of school funding and construction.

 

Membership

2 Board of Education Members

2 County Commissioner Members
3 Citizen Members
2 Building Industry Members
Staff Representation

Committee support will be provided by County Government Staff and Board of Education staff. A member of Charles County Government staff and Board of Education staff will co-chair the meeting.

The following Agency Representatives and designated staff will constitute the Technical Committee and will be brought in on an as needed basis.

• Director of Planning and Growth Management
• Director of Fiscal and Administrative Services
• County Attorney
• Board of Education Staff (Recommended by the BOE)

Schedule

March 13 – Organizational Meeting

Refine work plan; Establish Dates; Determine need for guest speakers and adjunct staff. Brief Review of School Allocation Program and DRRA Mitigation.  Status of 2014 School CIP for new school capacity. Issues identification.

March 27 – School Adequate Public Facilities Regulation Experience

Review Charles County experience in meeting the objectives of the APFO including the DRRA mitigation program; Status of the School Allocation program; review of school allocation commitments.

April 10 - Committee Conducts Public Information Meeting #1

April 24 – Debrief on the Public Information Meeting

Review the comments from the Public informational meeting and adjust the Work Plan as necessary.  Continue discussion about APF experience including the use and computation of Student Yield Factors.

May 8 – Impediments to School Construction

Identify impediments to school construction to meet growth demands; Review alternative approaches to school construction funding such as forward funding including the total costs associated with start up; staffing limitations; program demands on facilities such as all day kindergarten and special needs programs; adequate State and local funding. The evaluation will include a presentation by the BOE staff on the steps required for school construction.

May 22 – State School Construction Funding Program

Review the role of State School Construction Funding in providing adequate capacity in time for planned growth. Includes a discussion of the IAC formula.

June 5 – Existing County School Funding Sources

Review the experience of the County in collecting Excise Tax Revenues and DRRA Mitigation payments. Begin identification of alternative revenue sources.

June 19 - Alternative Funding Sources

Evaluate alternative funding sources to supplement the school construction excise tax including but not limited to impact fees, APF Mitigation (DRRAs), transfer tax, recordation tax, property tax and cost saving measures.

July 3 – Review alternative APFO approaches Statewide

Role of relocatable classrooms in providing interim capacity; Role of relocatable classroom in other jurisdictions; Role of redistricting in meeting APFO objectives.

July 17 - Review of Alternative APFO Approaches Statewide

Use of alternative capacity measurements; Treatment of growth areas versus conservation areas.

July 31 - Review Committee Findings and Decisions

Review Committee findings and decisions and provide final direction to staff for preparation of the draft report.

August 14 - Review Draft Report

 

Staff provides a preliminary draft report based on discussions. Review draft report and direct staff on refinements.

August 28 - Finalize Draft Report

September 11 – Committee Refines and Approves Final Report

Committee considers public input and refines draft as needed. Approval of final draft for recommendation to the elected boards.

September 25 – Presentation to a Joint Meeting of the County Commissioners and Board of Education.

Commissioners Adopt Recommendations and Direct Staff to proceed with Implementation Measures.

Note: Additional Public Outreach Meetings may be scheduled at the direction of the Committee.