April 2013 school bond

ASD had one bond on the April 2013 ballot which was approved by voters. The $54.8 million bond package will provide funds to improve 27 school buildings in the community.

• Girdwood K-8 School construction–$23 million
• Aurora Elementary School gym addition–$5.75 million
• Bartlett High School cafeteria and kitchen renovation–$4.7 million
• Building improvement planning and design projects–$10.7 million
• Districtwide building life extension projects–$10.65 million

The package qualifies for 60-70 percent reimbursement from the state, lowering the overall burden on taxpayers.

The 2013 bond package focuses on facilities with the highest needs based on the Facility Condition Index (FCI) and Educational Adequacy (EA) evaluations.

Girdwood K-8 School’s need is significant:

• The school is over capacity as the population has outgrown the building.
• According to the district’s EA data, Girdwood’s need is three times higher than any other ASD school.‌

Determining building needs

Last year, the district developed a new process to determine its facility needs. Building conditions are now based on two main evaluation tools:

• Facility Condition Index (FCI)
  The FCI shows deficiencies in building systems such as roofs, boilers, windows and similar items. This may be thought of as the physical condition of the building and its components.
• Educational Adequacy (EA)
  The EA shows deficiencies in instructional capabilities such as teaching spaces, special purpose areas and other spaces. This may be thought of as the functional use of the building and whether the space is appropriate for the instructional activities within it.

Every year, the FCI and EA for each facility are updated to include the latest changes in building conditions. Reviewing these assessments allows the district to identify which buildings have the greatest needs.