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SBA Awards Money For School Construction, Renovation

The West Virginia School Building Authority announced Monday $111,687,534 is headed to 19 counties for Fiscal Year 2024.

The West Virginia School Building Authority announced Monday $111,687,534 is headed to 19 counties for Fiscal Year 2024. This is the largest single year award from the SBA in more than a decade.

The money will be used to construct 10 new schools and perform major renovations on 13 existing schools.

“I am truly proud to vote for this historic investment in our schools, because it represents our unwavering commitment to providing West Virginia students with the best possible learning environment,” Gov. Jim Justice, as chairman of the SBA, said. “This funding doubles down on our belief that every student deserves access to a high-quality education. These new and upgraded facilities will ensure our students have the resources and technology needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

The biggest single award goes to Wyoming County for construction of the new Mullens PK-8 school. The school system will receive $15.7 million.

Six of the counties are receiving money for new school construction.

Berkeley County is receiving $8.3 million, but that is one of three annual payments for a total of $25 million for the construction of a primary and intermediate school.

Counties receiving funds to build new schools include:
Berkeley — $8,333,333
To be used for construction of a new primary and intermediate school. This is a multi-year commitment with the same recurring payment over three years for a total award sum of $25,000,000.

Wood — $9,309,647
To be used for construction of three new schools: Lubeck Elementary, Vienna Elementary, and North Parkersburg Elementary. This is a multi-year commitment with the same recurring payment over three years for a total award sum of $27,928,940.

Wyoming — $15,711,654
To be used for construction of the new Mullens PK-8 School.

Fayette — $15,625,860
To be used for construction of the new Midland Trail Elementary School.

Taylor — $7,306,600
To be used for construction of the new Anna Jarvis Elementary School.

Marshall — $9,213,555
To be used for construction of the new Benwood-McMechen Elementary School.

Counties receiving funds to renovate existing schools include:
Harrison — $5,842,600
To be used for additions and renovations at Nutter Fort Primary School and Simpson Elementary School.

Grant — $4,755,330
To be used for additions and renovations at Petersburg Elementary School.

Jackson — $13,547,398
To be used for additions and renovations at Ripley Middle School.

Greenbrier — $6,707,058
To be used for additions and renovations at Frankford Elementary School.

Mason — $1,249,000
To be used for upgrades at Roosevelt Elementary School.

Logan — $3,000,000
To be used for foundational and structural upgrades at Logan County Middle School.

Randolph — $558,110
To be used for a partial roof replacement at Elkins Middle School.

Calhoun — $4,839,829
To be used for renovations at Calhoun Middle/High School.

Morgan — $367,100
To be used for renovations at Berkeley Springs High School.

Hancock — $987,720
To be used for renovations at Oak Glen Middle School.

Gilmer — $724,693
To be used for renovations at Gilmer County High School.

Tucker — $1,965,945
To be used for wastewater treatment plant upgrades for Tucker County High School.

Barbour — $1,642,102
To be used for renovations at Philippi Elementary School.

State School Construction Funding Increased To Compensate For Inflation

At its Monday meeting, the School Building Authority increased the square footage cost allowance by 46 percent to more than $430 per square foot.

West Virginia’s School Building Authority (SBA) allocates school building projects by the square foot. SBA Executive Director Andy Neptune said they found the average of $307 per square foot cost allowance, operative since 2019, did not cover the post-pandemic inflation cost increases.

“Counties were wanting to come back to us for supplemental funding to get their projects completed,” Neptune said. “Something had to be done.”

At its Monday meeting, the SBA increased the square footage cost allowance by 46 percent to more than $430 per square foot. Neptune said school districts need to plan construction budgets with the increase – and districts that have already passed bonds need to resubmit.

“Let’s look at that number to see how we need to be working with this,” he said. “Because ultimately we want to get this balance down and not deal with any more deficit numbers.”

Neptune said the SBA has removed its supplemental funding policy and county school systems will be responsible for cost overruns. He said 28 counties will present construction plans on Nov. 13 and 14.

The SBA will vote on those plans on Dec. 11.

Delays In School Construction Could Leave Nicholas County Owing Millions To FEMA

There’s a struggle to break ground on the construction of three public schools originally damaged by flooding six years ago.

Nicholas County Schools has just two years to complete federally backed construction projects or risk owing millions to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

During the flooding disaster of 2016, Richwood Middle School, Richwood High School, and Summersville Middle School in Nicholas County were severely damaged.

Four years later, in 2020, FEMA awarded the West Virginia School Building Authority with a grant of $131 million to replace the schools in Nicholas County.

More than $17 million of that has been spent as of June 13, 2022. The county is negotiating a construction contract that fits within the current budget.

Construction was delayed because of increased costs due to COVID-19.

“We, by our estimations, are around 25 to 35 percent over our budgeted amount,” David L. Roach, Executive Director of the West Virginia School Building Authority, said.

Nicholas County Board of Education has authority over how to spend the FEMA funding.

Richwood Middle School and Richwood High School will be consolidated into a single complex that will include Cherry River Elementary School.

Summersville Middle is being built next to the new Nicholas County High School and Nicholas County Career and Technical Center at the Glade Creek Business Park.

“We’re talking about kids that have been displaced from their educational environment,” Del. Brandon Steele, R-Raleigh, said. “The kids that were in school, have graduated college, and got a career in the time that we can’t figure out how to break ground.”

The deadline is Dec. 2024. If the scope of work isn’t completed by the deadline, all funds will need to be paid back to FEMA by Nicholas County.

Funding Approved For School Construction Projects In 7 Counties

Board members for the West Virginia School Building Authority approved Monday almost $75 million for school construction projects.

Twenty nine counties applied for construction funds, but just seven counties made the cut.

“For the last year, the staff has worked extensively in many counties to gain an understanding of the severity of need with each project submitted,” said Ben Ashley, director of architectural services for the authority.

The state funds will help pay for seven new elementary schools, a new middle school, and renovations at nine other buildings. Counties will also contribute their own money in every county but Summers.

Projects that were not approved must be resubmitted for another round of funding in December.

Counties Receiving Funds

Greenbrier County received $8 million to relocate Alderson Elementary School.

Jefferson County received $7.5 million to build two new elementary schools.

Mercer County received $9.6 million for the construction of new Bluewell-Brushfork PK-5 Elementary School

Mineral County received $9.6 million for the construction of a new Frankfort PK-4 Elementary School

Ohio County received $18 million towards renovations to a half dozen schools.

Roane County received almost $14 million to build a new Spencer Middle School

Summers County received $8.2 million for additions and renovations on its middle and high schools.

View the full list of funding applications here

W.Va. Authority Awards $43 Million for School Projects

The West Virginia School Building Authority has awarded more than $43 million for construction projects in seven counties.

The grants approved Monday include more than $12 million for a new elementary school in Gilmer County.

Mingo, Monongalia and Wayne counties each received more than $8 million for school projects.

Wayne County’s grant is contingent on voters approving a bond. If the bond is approved on May 13, the county will receive another $10 million grant next year. Wayne County plans to build a new Ceredo Kenova Elementary School, a new Crum pre-kindergarten through 8th grade school, and to renovate Wayne County High School.

Authority members also awarded grants for projects in Brooke, Doddridge and Ohio counties.

Schools Request Nearly $130 Million for Building and Upgrades

Over the past two days, 18 counties presented their facility needs to the state School Building Authority in Charleston. The requests totaled more than $100 million, but the agency only has about $45 million to give. That means some tough choices between deserving projects across the state.

Here is a list of those projects and their estimated costs.

Doddridge County:

$898,128 for two new classrooms at Doddridge County Elementary School
$398,128 in SBA funds

Gilmer County:

$15,496,818 to construct a consolidated Gilmer Elementary School
$13,618, 671 in SBA funds

Greenbrier County:

$6,671,958 for an addition to Frankford Elementary School
$6,327,898 in SBA funds

Jackson County:

$17,816,041 to construct a new Ravenswood Middle School
$17,066,041 in SBA funds

Kanawha County:

$2,791,352 to add on to and renovate Andrew Heights Elementary School
$2,091,352 in SBA funds

Mercer County:

$11,136,000 to construct a new Green Valley Elementary School, consolidating a portion of students from three schools
$8,908,800 in SBA funds

Mineral County:

$4,000,000 in renovations for Keyser Elementary/Middle School
$3,500,000 in SBA funds

Mingo County:

$10,108,879 for additions and renovations at Burch Middle School in order to consolidate and close Burch Elementary School
$9,108.879 in SBA funds

Monongalia County:

$15,952,803 to consolidate students from two schools and build a new Suncrest Elementary School
$10,952,803 in SBA funds

Ohio County:

$6,772,932 for renovations at Ritchie Elementary School
$5,892,451 in SBA funds

Pocahontas County:

$8,892,426 for renovations at five schools
$8,817,426 in SBA funds

Preston County:

$2,169,000 to replace the roofs at six schools
$2,060,550 in SBA funds

Randolph County:

$3,959, 749 for renovations to Tygart Valley Middle-High School
$3,709,749 in SBA funds

Ritchie County:

$6,641,016 in renovations and an addition to Collins Ferry Elementary School
$6,391,016 in SBA funds

Wayne County:

$42,200,000 to build two new elementary schools and an addition and renovations to Wayne County High School
$18,000,000 in SBA funds

Webster County:

$2,357,713 for renovations at Webster County High School
$2,257,713 in SBA funds

Wirt County:

$2,395,038 for renovations at Wirt County High School
$2,270,038 in SBA funds

Schools for the Deaf and Blind:

$7,800,000 for three new residential facilities and the demolition of a dilapidated cafeteria
$7,100,000 in SBA funds

You can read each county’s proposal in detail at the state School Building Authorities website.

The SBA will meet again on April 28, 2014, to determine which schools are awarded aid.