City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 6, 2018
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
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Consideration of the Long Range Educational Facilities Plan: Phase II.
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ISSUE: Consideration of the Phase II of the Long Range Educational Facilities Plan (LREFP): Phase II.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council receive and endorse the updated LREFP, as adopted by the Alexandria City School Board (“School Board”) on May 24, 2018.
BACKGROUND: The LREFP (Phase I) was adopted and endorsed in June 2015 by the School Board and City Council, respectively. The Plan was developed through a three-year joint effort between Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and the City to improve facilities planning and accommodate the growing student population. A work group was established, which explored the major issues impacting public school facilities and advised staff in the development of the LREFP. The planning process culminated in the development of elementary and middle school educational specifications, a student enrollment forecasting methodology and recommendations specific to elementary and middle schools. This LREFP does not address the issue of high school configuration which will be addressed by ACPS during this calendar year.
SUMMARY: Phase II of the LREFP began in Spring 2016 to explore citywide high school and pre-K capacity needs, two of the recommendations resulting from Phase I, and was led by ACPS with support from City departments. As a result of this work, high school and pre-K center educational specifications were developed and addendums were drafted by the LREFP Work Group to update the 2015 document.
During its meeting on May 24, 2018, the School Board adopted the Phase II addendums to the LREFP that include the Work Group’s recommendations and clarifications provided by the School Board, including aligning the timing of some recommendations with the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Joint City-Schools Facility Investment Task Force. Common themes of the Phase II recommendations include increased analysis of existing space, definition of academic programs and future increased space for pre-K and high school capacity.
The final addendums are included in the attachments.
ATTACHMENTS:
1 - ACPS Memo to Alexandria City School Board
2 - Long Range Educational Facilities Plan: Phase II Addendums, as adopted
3 - Staff Presentation
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Karl Moritz, Director, Department of Planning and Zoning
Katherine Carraway, Urban Planner, Department of Planning and Zoning
Erika Gulick, Facilities Planner and GIS Specialist, ACPS