Tracy Press

 
The Tracy Unified School District needs about $200 million to fix old buildings and bring up-to-date technology at all schools, a consultant says.

A consultant estimates it will take $68 million for new technology in all schools. Press file photo

Upgrading schools built before 1985 is the most pressing need, according to Keeling, Northcross and Nobriga financial advisors, and that alone would cost $51 million and pay for things like repaving parking lots or replacing air conditioners, to name a couple suggestions.

Combined with the next most important need, to install new technology in all the schools, the district would have to come up with $68 million, they added.

The district hired the advisors earlier this year to find out what improvements could be made and what they would cost. The last similar assessment was made more than a decade ago, said district facilities director Denise Wakefield.

Findings will be used as a reference for future projects and a way to petition for grant or bond money, Wakefield said.

“We’re basically going to look at ways to finance this,” she said. “We could even borrow against future development. The point is to present the board a full menu so they see what the options are and make good decisions.”

The idea, Superintendent Jim Franco explained, is to see what the needs are, then whittle them down to a prioritized list.

“We’re not getting the full $200 million,” he said today. “This is just a point of reference.”

Some of the new technology, Franco said, would probably include video surveillance, higher bandwidth for satellite classes between schools and new alarms at some campuses.

The board will discuss whether to put a measure on the November 2008 or June 2010 ballots to solicit public support for a new bond.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board will talk about high school attendance boundaries to accommodate the under-construction Kimball High School, scheduled to open in the fall of 2009.

After a series of meetings to collect public input, one of the most significant changes to the boundary plan is that students who have siblings attending a given high school will transfer there, too, despite the boundary lines.

The district will also survey Tracy neighborhoods to find out the average number of students generated from households in different areas.

“We’ll use that in part to determine where to draw the boundary lines,” Franco said.

Up for public comment, too, are the negotiations for a new year-long contract with the Tracy Educators Association, its teachers union There probably won’t be much change to that, though, Franco said.

To read the whole agenda, go to http://www.tracy.k12.ca.us/agendafiles/05-13-08%20Board%20Agenda.pdf.

•We want to hear what you have to say. To reach Tracy Press reporter Jennifer Wadsworth, call 830-4225 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

At a glance

WHAT: Tracy Unified School District school board meeting

WHEN: 7 p.m. tonight

WHERE: Board Room, District Education Center, 1875 W. Lowell Ave.

INFO: 830-3200

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written by Kaeeesha , May 14, 2008

ANOTHER BOND MEA$URE? $$$$$$$$ FOR US TAX PAYER$ WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE LOTTERY AND MELLO ROOS?

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written by Students Fault , May 14, 2008

Why don't they focus instead on teaching the kids that basic things like reading and writing? 100 years ago, they didn't need computers or surveilance cameras to teach kids the basics. Today, kids are graduating from high school and they can barely read or write. In my opinion, kids are spending more time worried about who they look like and what they have instead of what they can learn to be better productive citizens. Ask mom and dad to chip in that extra money they are spending to allow their kids look like movie stars and rappers. Some of these kids have nicer cars, clothes and phones than I do, and I support a family! do they need new air conditioners to learn to learn nothing? These district-commissioned advisors seem to have forgotten one thing, students. In order to justify spending additional money or even asking to spend additional money or even asking to raise additional money, you need students that deserve that investment. Todays students in our minds don't deserve it. They barely can graduate high school, and even prior to that small accomplishment, they don't act like they even deserve it. Todays school age kids (especailly high schoolers) are disrespectful, rude and ill-mannered. That fix begins at home though. Its not entirely the school systems fault. We can lay partial blame on society and rest on the parents. Why are there so many kids walking through the mall during the day and wearing sweatshirts with hoods on in the middle of the day?

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written by Two Cents , May 14, 2008

What after they mismanaged the existing bond money we gave them they want more?

Next time around there is definitely going to be some active opposition to any additional bonds.

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written by OlSkooler , May 14, 2008

I think it should be a do-over with the whole district. You cant fix stupid!......

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written by Robgt , May 15, 2008

Instead of hiring an advisor, why didn't Franco just ask the maintenance people what is needed in the schools. Arent they the ones who are maintening and repairing the schools?
This is called Asset Management. Using the resources you have in a more productive and efficient way.
I wonder how many teachers and staff the kids really need could have been saved from budget cuts if the advisors were not used.