Secondary Facilities Project Dalton Public Schools

Meeting the Needs of Students with Appropriate Facilities Why Consider Additional Secondary Facilities? Meeting the Needs of Students with Appropriate Facilities Historic Enrollment by School

Meeting the Needs of Students with Appropriate Facilities Why Consider Additional Secondary Facilities? Meeting the Needs of Students with Appropriate Facilities Enrollment Projections by School

Meeting the Needs of Students with Appropriate Facilities Why Consider Additional Secondary Facilities? Meeting the Needs of Students with Appropriate Facilities Enrollment and Capacity Comparisons

Historic Facilities Timeline The Inevitable Need 1977 2001 2002 2003 2006 2009 2009 2011 2012 2015 Dalton High School Park Creek School Dalton Middle School City Park School Relocated to current facility Blue Ridge School Additions at BR, BW, DMS & PC MIHS Opens at Morris Street Additions at Dalton High MIHS Moves To Fort Hill Additions at Dalton Middle *Dates of Certificate of Occupancy according to the Georgia State Fire Marshall

Doing What is Right for All Students The Proposed Solution Doing What is Right for All Students New 6-12 School 1400 Capacity

Solving the Challenge The Benefits and Opportunities of a New 6-12 School Smaller Secondary Schools Cost Effective Room for Continuing Growth in Enrollment and Programs School Enrollment New 6-12 1400 600 MS, 800 HS Dalton Middle 1200 Dalton High Build 1 School vs Build 2 Schools Academic Offerings CTAE Offerings Extracurriculars Provides Opportunity for Lower Class Size Provides Opportunity for Secondary Schools to Participate in Local Region Should operational funding become available Less Travel, Less Academic Disruption for Students

Solving the Challenge The Benefits and Opportunities of a New 6-12 School Research-Based Findings Smaller Schools 6-12 School Benefits Provide a better experience for all students, Increase students’ connectedness to school which is critical especially for students in poverty, Provide increased opportunities for students to participate in extra-curriculars, Position the district to go to smaller class size if funding becomes available, and Create a close-knit family culture among teachers and families. Eliminates the transition between 8th and 9th grade that can negatively impact academic performance for some students, Provides opportunity for teachers/staff to develop individual relationships with students, Encourages more collaboration and vertical alignment between and among teachers, Provides students real opportunities to earn credit earlier, and Provides better longitudinal data on students.

The Benefits and Opportunities of a New 6-12 School Solving the Challenge The Benefits and Opportunities of a New 6-12 School Programming New 6-12 Dalton High JROTC Program Healthcare Pathway Translation Pathway New Chem-Tech Pathway Electronic Music Digital Media International Baccalaureate Engineering Manufacturing Culinary Arts Horticulture Graphic Design Video/TV Production

How Much Will It Cost? Total Project Costs $70 – $91.1 million* Facility & Technology $60.1 million Site $9.9 – $27.3 million Athletic Fields $3.7 million *Could be reduced should the district find community partners to share in the costs

Were Any Other Options Considered? Historical Perspective Prior to 2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 Board and administration reviewed 39 options before deciding that increasing the size of DMS would address expected enrollment growth. Board appointed Study Group led by Tommy Boggs. Researched and evaluated 20 options. Board accepted Study Group’s report and continued work to refine options. Reviewed 7 options and 7 sites

Other Options Considered Criteria Add New 6-12 Reconfigure to PreK-4, One 5-6, One 7-8, Add New 9-12 Add on to Existing Middle & High Schools Add New Middle & New High Add New 6-12 & Reconfigure DHS & DMS to 6-12 Do Nothing Smaller Middle   Smaller Larger 5 - 8 Larger Smaller High Appropriate Facility for Morris Yes No Academic Opportunities & Student Leadership More Less Transitions Less for Some Same Extracuriculars & Athletics Unify Elementary Students at Secondary Level Divide Divide High School Impact on Number of Students & Staff Some More than Half None Half Cost Medium Low High

Financing Options Through City How Will We Pay For It? Financing Options Through City Bonded Indebtedness 30-year Bond Revenue Bond Requires Financial Committee Approval Requires City Council Approval Requires Building Authority Approval Or General Obligation Bond Requires Financial Committee Approval Requires City Council Approval Requires Approval by Referendum of City Voters

How Will We Pay For It? What about Using Operating Funds? $1.2 million Annual Operating Expense for New Facility Including additional positions, utilities and expenses 30-year Bonds $1.2 million Current Millage Rate and Operating Budget cannot absorb the additional cost of bonded indebtedness and interest as well as the annual operating costs. ESPLOST funds alone will not be sufficient to pay bonded indebtedness and interest. 30-year Bonds

Investment in the Future Millage Increase ESPLOST Combination Estimated combined millage increase of between 1.41 – 1.77 mills ($4.8 M – $6 M) to fully fund debt, interest and operating expenses Estimated proceeds from 5-year ESPLOST is $5.5 million annually which could be used to pay a portion of debt and interest Ideally, utilize possible combination of millage increase and ESPLOST proceeds Millage Increase on $100,000 Valuation $141 - $177 annually $12 - $15 monthly $4.5 million = to pay debt + $1.2 million – operating costs $5.7 million ESPLOST Proceeds $5.5 M Debt payment $2.5 M Ongoing capital needs $3.0 M ESPLOST-Debt $2.5 M Millage-Debt $2.3 M Millage-Operating $1.2 M Revised 4/20/15

#91 #81 District Stewardship Historical Perspective In In Georgia Local Property Taxes in Relation to Millage Rate #91 In Georgia Per Pupil Revenues #81 In Georgia Per Pupil Expenditures A community’s effort and ability to support education is based on its taxable wealth not just the millage rate Because the total tax digest value of each community isn’t readily available, the best metric for comparing (or ranking) school district’s finances is by per pupil expenditures and per pupil revenues.

Timeline for Development, Financing and Construction Estimated Completion 2.5 - 6 years June, 2015 Phase 1 1 - 2 years Phase 2 1.5 - 2 years Phase 3 0 - 2 years Board Vote of Approval Facility Design, Site Acquisition & Development, Financing Construction Transition to Full Utilization Opening of School

Communications Timeline April 13, 2015 April - June April - June June 9, 2015 Regular Board Meeting Board Votes on Tentative Decision Employee Conversations Community Conversations Board Votes on Final Decision

Questions?

The Dalton Difference Dalton High ranked as #40 in Best High Schools in Georgia; #1471 of Best High Schools in the Nation. This was Dalton’s 5th time to be ranked. Dalton High had the highest rank of any high school north of the metro Atlanta area. Dalton High is one of only 29 high schools in Georgia to offer the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). The average IB exam pass rate at Dalton High is 86 percent compared to 68.63 percent in the US. According to the National Clearinghouse, 63 percent of Dalton graduates enter college during their first year out of high school, and 70 percent by their second year out of high school. Dalton High was named an AP Honors School for the last two years by the College Board. Thirteen Dalton High students have been named Gates Millennium Scholars since 2008.

What the Best and Wisest Parent Wants for His Own Child, That Must The Community Want For All Of Its Children. Any Other Ideal For Our Schools is Narrow and Unlovely; Acted Upon It Destroys Our Democracy. John Dewey