Long Range Facility Committee
The Long Range Facility Committee is a group of community members, parents, city leaders, business owners, and Joplin Schools staff members who volunteered to evaluate district properties in order to create a Long Range Facility Plan to guide our Capital Projects for the next 5-15 years. The most recent version of this Committee began meeting in 2023 and has toured every district campus and facility, comparing educational suitability, program needs, student demographics, safety, and projected student enrollment data.
Long Range Facility Committee
Parameters of the Committee’s Work
Focus on educational suitability and space for all students
Focus on adequate minimum standards for Special Education environments and intensive programs
Early Childhood/PreK expansion
Gain stakeholder input for future new construction and facility addition decisions
Reflect bond and other funding scenarios that minimize the taxpayer burden
Ensure that funding over time supports the sequence of school improvements
Resources Used by the Committee
School Facilities Condition Assessment & Priorities Report 2020-2025
Tours of ALL Joplin Schools facilities
Facility size and capacity analysis
Review of operational costs per elementary building
Climate & Culture survey results
Demographic Study Report completed in 2019 & 2022
Facility Standards presented to BOE in 2011
Financial Condition for long term capital planning
Costs analysis for remodeling and new construction options
Preliminary Findings
Robust process in place for allocation of maintenance capital expenditures
Classrooms between similar sized buildings are not educationally suitable (ex. bathrooms in K classrooms, square footage of learning spaces)
Annual Capital Outlay funds are insufficient for major new construction across all buildings (ex. Remodel and adding additions)
District is currently a good steward of facilities (clean and well maintained)
There is a lack of space for specials and therapies (art/music/OT/PT
There is a lack of space across the district for intensive special education programs (ex. many buildings do not have adequate space for special education programs)
There is a lack of space for preschool (0-3 and 4 year old classrooms)
There is a need for additional space across the district for co-curricular activities, athletic programs, and 9-12 instructional space
Capital Outlay funding is available, and Bonding capacity exists for a no-tax rate increase bond issue to complete identified projects