BOSTON, MA – State Treasurer Tim Cahill, Chairman of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”) and Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director, announced today that four schools have been selected to be models for the new elementary school division of the highly successful Model School Program. The schools are East Fairhaven Elementary, Williamstown Elementary, Fort Banks Elementary in Winthrop and Northeast Academy Elementary in Groton, Connecticut.
“Our Model School program for high schools has saved taxpayers millions of dollars,” said State Treasurer Tim Cahill. “I am excited to bring that type of meaningful savings to communities who have deficiencies in their elementary schools.”
“The success and cost savings associated with the Model School Program prompted us to look for additional schools that might meet our high standards and that could possibly be used as model designs,” said Katherine Craven, Executive Director of the MSBA. “As we continue to try and expand the Model School Program we will save more communities across the Commonwealth money.”
The MSBA’s Model Schools effectively adapt and re-use the design of successful, recently constructed schools; simplifying the design process, reducing the amount of time projects are in the design phase and lowering design fees. Using elements of a previously designed Model School allows projects to begin construction faster and reduces construction costs for the project. At least a year of design work can be saved by using a Model School.
The MSBA is collaborating with municipalities to equitably invest up to $2.5 billion in schools across the Commonwealth by finding the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe and sound learning environments. The MSBA is committed to protecting the taxpayer’s dollar by improving the school building grant process and avoiding the mistakes of the past in the funding and construction of school facilities.
The MSBA has reformed the Commonwealth’s formerly rampant and unsustainable program, which had accumulated $11 billion in debt. In 2007, as a result of programmatic reforms and sound fiscal management, the MSBA was able to reopen a sustainable, reformed grant program. In its six year history, the MSBA has made more than $7 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns and regional school districts for school construction projects. These timely payments have saved municipalities over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs and have provided much needed cash flow to communities in these difficult economic times.