Burbio K-12 Construction Tracker 9/24: Land, Pre-K, and Operations

Burbio’s K-12 Construction Tracker monitors activity from early stages of planning through design, procurement, and construction. By tracking school board meetings, capital plans, bond discussions, facility studies, and other activity, Burbio identifies projects as they develop.

1. In our first section, we highlight school districts acquiring and evaluating land for future schools and district facilities. The map below highlights district discussions since March, including purchases, site negotiations, development agreements, and evaluations of potential sites for school properties:

Below are some examples from the map above:

• St. Lucie Public Schools, FL,is evaluating future school sites amid residential growth. A developer agreement requires land for a school, with the campus type and construction timeline still undetermined.
  
  
• New Caney ISD, TX, approved the acquisition of two properties totaling approximately 113 acres. The district is holding the land for future campuses or other district facilities, providing flexibility as its long-term facility needs develop.
  
  
• Charleston County School District, SC, authorized negotiations to purchase property for a future school site. The purchase price cannot exceed the district’s appraised value.
  
  
• Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, WI, is pursuing the purchase and renovation of a residential property for its transition program. The acquisition remains subject to inspection, appraisal, and municipal approvals.
  
  
• Hernando County Schools, FL, is exploring land ownership and potential sites for future schools. Related development agreements remain under review and are expected to return to the Board for approval.

2. Burbio’s Construction Tracker also includes early childhood facility projects. Districts are assessing space for growing programs, expanding existing centers, and planning new preschool and early learning facilities. The examples below range from initial studies and funding discussions to additions and new construction:

• Petersburg City Public Schools, VA, is pursuing state grant funding for an early childhood education center. The proposed award would require matching funds, keeping the project in the funding stage.

• Cherry Hill School District, NJ, is seeking a facilities waiver to expand its Universal Preschool program through a partnership involving construction of a new 11,000 square foot early childhood facility. The facility is targeted to open for the 2027/28 school year.

• St. Johns Public Schools, MI, is planning an approximately $2.2 million expansion of an early learning center, including two classrooms and a motor development space, as part of its 2026 bond planning. Work on the broader bond proposal remains underway.

• Forest Hills Local School District, OH, formed a task force to assess facility options for preschool growth after the program outgrew its space and expanded into other areas of the building

• Saint Paul Public Schools, MN, is in early planning for a permanent Pre-K to 8 campus. The district is developing a master plan and incorporating the project into its broader facilities planning process before advancing into design.

3. Another highly specific category we track is district operations facilities, including transportation centers, bus yards, and administrative buildings. The projects below are moving through site evaluation, design, and funding:

• Anne Arundel County Public Schools, MD, is advancing a new transportation facility, with the project in schematic design and construction planned for March 2027. The Board approved an FY2028 capital request that includes $22.5 million for construction, pending state and county budget approval.

• Madison School District #321, ID, is planning a new administration building on district-owned property after selling its former offices. The Board was evaluating the building’s location and orientation as the district moves through early project planning.

• Olathe Public Schools, KS, is designing renovations for a second transportation center and other district programs, targeting August 2027 completion. Architectural and engineering services were approved in April; construction services remain unidentified.

• Patterson Joint Unified School District, CA, is evaluating a transportation yard with a preliminary $3.72 million budget for site work, parking, EV charging, and a modular office.

• C.O.O.R. ISD, MI, is designing a new maintenance and transportation facility and a new administration building. Design and documentation are expected to continue through late 2026 or early 2027, with groundbreaking targeted for spring 2027.