Figure 1. 4J Facilities Plan Cost Comparison ($)
Curricular Choices
Advocates of large schools falsely
claim that such schools give students more
curricular choices. In an extensive study,
University of Missouri scholar John Slate
found, “Increasing school size, especially
beyond 400 students, does not typically
result in a large increase in curricular
choices.”
Environmental Performance
One fi nal problem with large schools
is that they cannot effectively operate
as neighborhood schools to which most
students can walk and in which the school
becomes a center of community life. Bigger
schools draw students from a much wider
geographical area, which generally means
more students are driven or bused to school.
If the 4J plan proceeds and consolidates
Edison at Camas Ridge, for example,
roughly half of Edison children will not be
able to walk or bike to school anymore. The
distance will simply be too far. In this era of
skyrocketing childhood obesity and climate
change concerns, schools should be looking
for ways to increase walking and biking
rather than becoming part of the problem.
Less walking and biking will mean more
driving, increased carbon emissions, more
asthma-inducing air pollutants and heavier
children.
* Jefferson/ATA and North Eugene include partial remodeling costs
Figure 2. Repair as Percentage of Replacement Cost (%)
A Different Path
MARK GILLEM
In 2011, Eugene voters approved
Measure 20-183 to fund $70 million in
repairs to schools across the district. The
funds will fi x the very problems that have
been identifi ed in the 2012 report, including
major system repairs and replacements,
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additions and remodels and technology
upgrades. Unfortunately, schools now
slated for demolition or abandonment were
part of the sales pitch for last year’s bond.
For example, Edison was to be allocated
$900,000 to upgrade its kitchen and staff
offi ces. This is one reason why I voted for
that bond measure.
So last year the district thought these
types of problems could be addressed with
sensible repairs. But this year, the district
thinks these problems justify demolition
and abandonment of eight buildings. The
recommendations were clearly driven by
the consultant’s fl awed mathematical model
and the new superintendent’s desire to
make a quick change rather than by a well-
conceived, community-based process.
In advocating for the 2011 bond, former
Eugene School Board member Eric Forrest
wrote, “Refl ecting the times we’re in, this
isn’t a sweeping grand plan to add spanking
new buildings … Rather, it’s a responsible,
prudent measure that does what every
single one of us knows makes the most
business sense — taking care of what we
have so that future, more costly repair or
replacement costs are deferred or avoided
altogether.” That is the kind of thinking 4J
needs now. Given the mountain of evidence
in support of small schools, the substantial
cost premium for new buildings and the
relatively minor upgrades that 4J schools
actually need, the case for repair over
replacement and consolidation is easy to
make.
ew
Mark L. Gillem, Ph.D. (mark@uoregon.edu) is a licensed
architect in California and a certifi ed planner on the faculty
of the UO. He also advises the U.S. government on planning
and design education.
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EUGENE WEEKLY JULY 19, 2012
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