Work to Begin on Unnecessay new school in Portland

There’s a nice article today in the Portland Press Herald about the new Ocean Avenue elementary school being built in Portland. It seems that it’s going to be a very nice school and that due to the economy, it’ll cost even less than earlier predicted.

Too bad it’s not necessary.

You see, Portland schools have been having fewer and fewer students enroll each year. When Jack Elementary school on Munjoy hill closed in 2001, the students were put in other city elementary schools until the East End Community School opened in 2006. It didn’t overburden the school system or cause so much overcrowding that kids didn’t still anything. 

In 2003, the decision was made to close Baxter Elementary (where this new Ocean Avenue school will be built). I don’t recall why exactly the school needed to be closed — mostly complaints about the facility as I recall (though I noticed that adult educational programs moved into the school without too much trouble).

No, the city of Portland could easily get along without another elementary school. Ocean Avenue school is being built for one reason and one reason alone: the state will pay for it.

In 2008, city and state officials approved a plan to spend $20.2 million to build the Ocean Avenue school. The state would reimburse the school district for up to $19.8 million of the cost and Portland would only need to pony up the remaining $400,000.

Hey, if the city can get a new school and pay nearly nothing for it, why not, right? I agree — to a point.

What I’d like to see the city do is more though. Not just replace the old Clifford School with the new Ocean Avenue school and keep the same number of teachers, administrators and students. But consolidate even more and close another elementary school and have the students go to one of these new elementary schools. Reduce the number of teachers and administrators and save the city some real money.

But that, of course, would be too political, too controversial, too drastic.

To which I respond: too bad.

Comments

[Lori Bennett-Tetrick]

This is typical government spend-it-or-lose-it mentality, and that in and of itself needs to change, nay, stop. Anytime it benefits a government body by spending more, proving that it is inefficient, we all lose. An easy summary would be that this is a perfect case of "The Peter Principal" in action.

[Steven Scharf]

Two things about your post.

Baxter School was closed to solve a budget gap. It was claimed it would save about $500,000 to the school system. The building was fine.

The school was serving about 150 students who were moved into other schools.

More substansiviley, I posted at MaineToday.com after your post that we will not be getting 100% funding for the school. That is a MYTH. School bonding is an above the line cost to the funding formula. Portland only gets 20% of above the line costs paid, up for about 15% last year.

Steven Scharf
SCSMedia@aol.com