Prince George’s County Public Schools chief Monica Goldson has announced that overstepping traditional funding methods to partner with the private sector could result in a viable strategy for constructing six much-needed new middle schools over the next three years.
At this time, several aging buildings that help comprise the 208-school system could use facelifts to the tune of $8.5 billion, according to Goldson.
The schools chief said the need is particularly critical among the county’s middle schools, which have a 2,000-seat deficit.
Goldson added that overall, while time-worn school buildings are getting by, the time will eventually come when patchwork replacement will no longer work and total replacement will be needed.
To that end, Goldson favors bringing in private firms to finance, design and build new schools, largely so the firms that usually work on several buildings at one time can also work more efficiently.
Over the stretch of the contract, the private companies, which will be paid back over a 30-year period, will maintain the facilities.