The Texas comptroller recently issued a report titled Public School Construction Costs that compared individual school districts from a construction cost perspective to state-wide averages.
How did we do?
The state-wide average cost per student for new construction of elementary schools was $17,456 for the 2007 to 2013 period.
The El Paso Independent School District averaged $20,965 for the same period.
The state average number of square feet per student was 135 while EPISD’s was 136.
That means that our new elementary schools cost 20% more than the state average.
Recommendations
The comptroller’s report contained two recommendations to reduce costs:
Architectural prototypes (using a consistent design) for multiple campuses can mean savings in the design phase, on architectural fees and on purchasing (because the same design and materials are used, less time is needed to plan subsequent projects).
According to the Texas Association of School Boards, renovations cost 50-70 percent of a new building’s cost and can often meet the goals of a new structure. School districts with older facilities or slower student growth can couple historic and civic considerations with the economic benefits of renovating existing schools or other facilities.
Why each of our schools needs to look unique is a mystery to me. As to demolishing old schools and replacing them with new construction I suspect that what the district calls “deferred maintenance” is the culprit.
Favorable debt
On a more favorable note, the comptroller has issued this chart comparing EPISD’s debt to districts of similar size:
It seems that we are in less debt than other districts.
It would be nice if EPISD would consider the comptroller’s cost saving suggestions.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
EPISD is not the only school district in the El Paso. What are YISD, CISD, all the others? EPISD taxpayers aren’t the only taxpayers in the area.
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Yes.
The report can be found here: http://www.texastransparency.org/Special_Features/Reports/School_Construction/index.php
Feel free to analyze it and send us an article.
Brutus
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The mismanagement of the building cost happened under the elected Board. That’s the group that Brutus wants back in control. The Board of Managers has already taken steps to control future building costs.
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More accurately, I would like to see an elected board in control.
Brutus
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