The Springfield Public School District is launching a long-range facility planning process, which will result in a facility master plan.
The plan will be a roadmap for designing future educational experiences for students, according to the district. It will help determine how the district invests in and utilizes school buildings.
SPS Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan said they’re in the very early stages of the process, which will include data collection, engagement and study. She encourages the community to get involved.
Public meetings to explain the process and to allow for feedback are planned for this month. The first will be on Monday, Oct. 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 at Glendale High School. The second will be on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Central High School. RSVPs are requested.
Along with the public meetings, the district has assembled focus groups for business and nonprofit leaders, students, teachers and senior citizens. A Facility Master Plan Advisory Council, made up of around 60 people, is meeting and will review data and provide input.
The last of $220 million in voter-approved facility improvements will be finished in 2028, according to SPS. The facility master planning process will determine what’s needed next. The district said initial estimates indicate that SPS currently has approximately $422 million in facility improvement needs.
"Moving forward, national and local trends - including shifting enrollment patterns, lower birth rates, expanding educational options, aging infrastructure and decreased funding - will change the way SPS utilizes its 60+ buildings in the future," the district said in a statement. "To ensure staffing and services remain intact, the difficult decisions ahead may include the future consolidation and/or closure of some facilities. SPS believes the best path forward for our students and communities is to create a long-range plan that makes our operations more efficient so we maintain, and ideally increase, our investments in students."
