Van Buren schools capture $7.8 million in improvement funds

The Van Buren Public School system will receive more than $7.8 million for facilities improvements as part of $188.7 million in Arkansas school improvements approved Wednesday by the Arkansas Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation Commission.

The commission, part of the Arkansas Department of Education, approved the 219 projects that will be funded during the next two fiscal years beginning July 1, 2011.

Projects in the Fort Smith area include:
• Charleston
Elementary school roof repair: $322,363 (year 1)
High School air conditioning system (HVAC): $160,503 (year 2)

• Fort Smith
Sunnymede Elementary addition: $976,461 (year 1)
Woods Elementary addition: $310,930
Euper Lane Elementary addition: $616,011 (year 1)
Sutton Elementary addition: $448,211 (year 1)
Chaffin Junior High addition $773,745 (year 2)

• Hackett
High School roof repair: $75,292 (year 2)
K-12 cafeteria addition: $337,801 (year 2)

• Hartford
High School roof repair: $173,785 (year 1)

• Lavaca
Middle School roof repair: $348,303 (year 1)

• Ozark
Elementary addition: $335,344 (year 1)

• Van Buren
Butterfield Trail Junior High roof: $99,818 (year 1)
Butterfield Trail Junior High HVAC: $680,400 (year 1)
Butterfield Trail Junior High addition: $198,615 (year 2)
Coleman Junior High addition: $247,989 (year 2)
Northridge Middle School roof: $690,951 (year 1)
Northridge Middle School HVAC: $1,009,295 (year 1)
Parkview Elementary roof: $690,951 (year 1)
Parkview Elementary HVAC: $1,009,295 (year 1)
Rena Elementary roof: $281,818 (year 1)
Rena Elementary HVAC: $411,661 (year 1)
Van Buren High addition: $3.495,406 (year 2)

The three members of the commission are Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell, Department of Finance and Administration Director Richard Weiss, and Arkansas Development and Finance Authority President Mac Dodson. The approval was unanimous.

The facilities division evaluated each application from districts. There were 83 proposed projects rejected.  Most of the projects will begin during fiscal 2012, which starts July 1, 2011. Some won’t begin until fiscal 2013.

Kimbrell also noted the economic impact the building projects have had in Arkansas and how they have contributed toward improving education for public school students throughout the state, according to the Department of Education statement.

State funding of public school facilities followed the program’s creation during the 2005 legislative session. Through April 8, the state has contributed $411.9 million toward school facilities. There have been 814 projects completed. Another 334 are in progress. Local property taxes also contribute toward the projects.

The program helps ensure that students attend schools with adequate and equitable facilities, as required by the state Supreme Court’s Lake View decision in 2002.

Link here for the complete list of approved projects.