Proposed State Funding Support for Priority School Construction Projects Outlined

In testimony provided to the state legislature’s Education Committee in recent weeks, the Department of Administrative Services has outlined eligible school building projects in Connecticut, including Priority List Projects in Bristol, Danbury, Hartford, Newington, Stamford and Waterford.  The committee meeting was held in advance of the start of the legislative session, which begins on Wednesday, February 7.

DAS Commissioner Michelle Gilman noted that “projects for three high schools, three elementary schools, two middle schools, two magnet schools, and one Pre-K school. Five are renovation projects, three are categorized as “Extension/Alteration” projects, two are new school projects, and one is categorized as the purchase of a facility.”

Gilman explained that the “proposed Priority List includes an estimated total project cost of $583,320,021. If the legislature and Governor approve, the State’s maximum grant amount for these projects would be $470,235,824. In addition, there are two requests for reauthorization with an estimated project costs of $41,086,326 and a potential grant change of $39,032,010, along with a request for forgiveness of the unpaid balance of a grant due to the State for $202,538.”

The 2024 Priority List Projects, including estimated grant amount, highlighted in the legislative testimony:

Category A

 Create new facilities or alter existing facilities to provide for mandatory instructional programs pursuant to Chapter 173 of the Connecticut General Statutes, for physical education facilities in compliance with Title IX of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1972 where such programs or such compliance cannot be provided within existing facilities or for the correction of code violations which cannot be reasonably addressed within existing program space.

·         Bristol / Edgewood Pre-K Academy (Renovation) $11,701,999

·         Waterford / LEARN / THE New Early Childhood School at 51 Daniels Avenue (Magnet/Alteration/Purchase of Facility) $76,589,325

·         Stamford / South School – Upper (New) $51,522,880

·         Stamford / South School – Lower (New) $43,478,365

Category B

Create new facilities or alter existing facilities to enhance mandatory instructional programs pursuant to Chapter 173 of the Connecticut General Statutes or provide comparable facilities among schools to all students at the same grade level or levels within the school district unless such project is otherwise explicitly included in another category pursuant to § 10-283.

·         Bristol / Bristol Central High School - Culinary Arts (Alteration) $993,731

·         Bristol / Bristol Eastern High School - Culinary Arts (Alteration) $1,008,586

·         Danbury / Danbury High School (Alteration) $10,429,650

·         Hartford / Maria C. Colón Sánchez Elementary School (Renovation) $92,097,936

·         Hartford / Montessori Magnet at Batchelder (Renovation) $97,440,837

·         Hartford / S.A.N.D. Elementary School (Renovation) $78,695,232

·         Newington / John Wallace Middle School (Renovation) $6,277,283

Category C

Create new facilities or alter existing facilities to provide supportive services, provided in no event such supportive services include swimming pools, auditoriums, outdoor athletic facilities, tennis courts, elementary school playgrounds, site improvement or garages or storage, parking or general recreation areas.

·         No projects under this category for this Priority List.

The full list of projects, including two requests for reauthorization of funds, can be seen here.