Decatur needs transparency before committing $23M to early learning center

Imagine your family needs another bedroom. Would you build a whole new house or renovate the one you have? To make that decision, most of us would gather multiple quotes and compare costs. We would not accept a single estimate at face value, especially one that increases our mortgage for years to come.

The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education faces a similar choice, but with far more public money at stake. CSD has proposed spending $23.1 million to construct a new early childhood learning center for 0 to 3-year-olds, while simultaneously closing Westchester Elementary. But the district has not shown that this is the most cost-effective, or even necessary, approach.

Concerned with the opaqueness of the decision-making, we, as Decatur parents and taxpayers, engaged in open records requests. We focused on a single question: Is it more expensive to renovate Westchester into an ECLC or build a brand-new ECLC? What we found was not a simple comparison. Instead, the documents reveal significant gaps in the justification for this major investment.

Patrick McConnell is a parent in City Schools of Decatur. (Courtesy)

The need for a new ECLC remains unclear

In August, the board announced plans for a new ECLC for 0 to 3-year-olds on Electric Avenue to “address the critical need for early learning services” because “transportation and distance are currently key barriers for families living at DHA (Decatur Housing Authority) to access care at College Heights.”

Through our records request, we obtained the raw survey data used as a data point to support these claims. CSD surveyed 100 respondents, 30% of whom are located at DHA. Of those, only 2 reported needing day care and lacking transportation, or just 2%. Even if this small sample reflects the entire city, the board is preparing to invest $23 million for a very small percentage of Decatur’s total population. CSD claims that it received additional qualitative data through door-to-door canvassing but that data has not been included in its presentations we’re aware of supporting ECLC need.

CSD, to our knowledge, also did not evaluate transportation alternatives, such as using shuttles, or moving pre-K classrooms from College Heights to the currently underserved K-2 schools to increase early learning capacity. In short, the need should be more thoroughly established.

Akila McConnell is a parent in City Schools of Decatur. (Courtesy)

Contract issued without clear cost analysis

Assuming the city needs more ECLC capacity, the next question is whether CSD has ensured that it is getting the best price. On Feb. 4, CSD sought proposals for a Construction Manager At Risk. A CMAR contract typically includes a “Guaranteed Maximum Price”; CSD set the Guaranteed Maximum Price in its RFQ at $23 million. After evaluating six submissions the board approved a $40,000 preconstruction contract in April with Parrish Construction Group.

But, here’s the kicker: the contract issued with Parrish — the legal document that will govern this work — contains no Guaranteed Maximum Price and says “TBD.” The contract includes no price breakdown. CSD’s own evaluation documents show that Winter Construction scored 50% better in the total costs points category than Parrish on pricing. Based on the documents provided to us, CSD has not conducted a competitive request for full, itemized pricing to ensure it is receiving the best value.

The Westchester cost comparison is not a true renovation estimate

In October, CSD proposed redistricting and closing Westchester Elementary. When residents asked whether Westchester could be renovated to provide early learning space, CSD and Parrish responded with this spreadsheet showing that it would cost $21.9 million to build the new ECLC versus $23.9 million to renovate Westchester.

However, the open records inquiry revealed that this “renovation” estimate is actually for a “complete demo to shell and build back,” with “full replacement of electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems.” The estimate was performed on a square foot basis, not an actual quote or bid process. Nothing in the documents explains why Westchester, which reopened in 2014 after a $1.3 million renovation, would require complete demolition and rebuild.

Further, per open records requests, CSD has not performed a cost realism analysis for either the new build estimate or the “renovation” estimate. The Westchester “renovation” estimate includes $341,000 for new kitchen equipment and $1.2 million for a new roof, even though Westchester has a functioning kitchen and roof. It includes $8,000 for lockers, even though 0 to 3-year-olds don’t use lockers. In other words, the comparison between renovating Westchester versus building a new ECLC relies on unrealistic assumptions.

Fortunately, there is a reasonably priced alternative to building a new ECLC or renovating Westchester. An 11,700 square foot day care space with 10 classrooms for 0 to 3 aged children is available at the Acme Lofts, located just a 15 minute walk from DHA, to be leased at approximately $300,000 per year.

Responsible stewardship requires a pause

As Decatur parents, we love our schools, our teachers, and our community. We agree that Decatur should continue investing in its children. But, that investment should be supported by transparent analysis, realistic cost comparisons, and responsible financial oversight.

CSD Board’s mission is to “establish goals and policies that align with state requirements and reflect the community’s needs.” The decision-making reflected in these documents does not meet that mission.

Residents are currently challenging the issuance of a bond to fund this project, while CSD plans to break ground on this project in a matter of weeks. Now is the time for Decatur residents to make their voices heard. We encourage you to contact the school board at board@csdecatur.net and ask it to halt work on the ECLC project until the need is fully evaluated, pricing is competitively tested, and practical alternatives are properly examined.