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The committee’s 23-page report caused an uproar when it was released to the district in February 2011, prompting the district to address the most immediate concerns: patching up ceilings and repainting walls. But still no major dent in the promised renovations.
“If it’s dismal to see as an adult, then imagine how our students must feel,” said Catherine Kim Owens, a member of Hallandale Beach’s Education Advisory Board and former diversity committee co-chairwoman.
Each year the Broward School District’s diversity committee is charged with inspecting a sample of schools to ensure compliance. But with no money for repairs, community activists say the problems linger.
Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie maintains the district has tried to spread its dollars evenly, noting that most of the older schools on the list for replacement buildings have received at least a new wing, cafeteria or gym to alleviate some of the structural concerns.
For now, the Broward district gives priority to emergency repairs dealing with health and safety issues. But when money does become available, the district will reassess, giving more weight to projects that have been delayed before starting new ones, said Jeffrey S. Whitney, assistant director of the capital budget department.
“We’re not neglecting one set of schools in favor of another,” said Runcie. “ We’ve made significant investments in our schools, but there’s no denying that the capital is a very huge problem of significant concern. Once you get into this cycle of deferred maintenance, the longer projects are delayed, the higher it’s going to cost to fix that later. It’s a spiral you don’t want to get caught up in.”
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