Rochester School Board Set to Vote on Future Building Proposals

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester School Board could vote tonight on recommendations of the school district’s Facilities Task Force.

The panel recently presented the elected officials with three recommended options for addressing the public school systems future space needs that carried price tags that ranged from nearly $130 million to almost $190 million. All three options call for building a new elementary school in northwest Rochester and a new middle school and Southwest Rochester. The most expensive option would also build new and larger schools to replace the existing Bishop, Churchill, and Longfellow elementary schools. Option 2 would reconstruct Bishop and Longfellow schools while the least expensive proposal only calls for replacing Bishop elementary.

The administration is recommending the school board pursue Option 2, which carries an estimated price tag of $162 million. The school board is also being asked to consider a list of upgrades to other school buildings that could cost as much as $26 million.

The School Board is expected to spend the next few months studying the recommendations and seeking input from school district residents through a survey and other methods before making a final decision next spring a possible school bond issue referendum that would be presented to voters next fall.