On Tuesday, July 10th representatives from local communities met at Digital Harbor for a presentation by Baltimore City Public Schools about plans for overhauling City Schools’ building portfolio.   The following schools were represented:

Here is a video produced by Balitmore City Schools.

Here is the slide presentation presented at the meeting.

Here are the reports and assessments for each individual school.

A parent who attended the presentation told SouthBMore.com, “I am very inspired by what the school system is taking on, this is something that can make our area that much better.”

Press Release, Baltimore City Schools:

The 21st-Century Buildings Initiative

City Schools has 270+ buildings (spanning 18.5 million square feet), most of which are either in poor condition or are old and do not meet modern-day standards for environments that support excellent teaching and learning.

For two years the district partnered closely with the Mayor of Baltimore to identify possible funding streams for bringing this building portfolio up to an acceptable and educationally adequate standard. This work resulted in legislation being introduced during the 2012 General Assembly to allow City Schools more latitude in how it raises and spends construction money. The bill put City Schools and the terrible condition of its buildings on lawmakers’ radars; next year, we are hoping for a vote.

The district’s next step earlier this year was to commission a study of its building portfolio, to fully understand the condition of its buildings — and what it would cost to improve or replace them with better building options. That report, slated for release in mid-June, will in turn guide a several-months’ process in which individual school communities and the larger Baltimore community will come together to discuss the report findings and inform recommendations for a 10-year overhaul of City Schools’ building portfolio.

This critical work is underway. Please check back regularly for more information as it becomes available.