FY2021 Adopted Budget

Capital Improvement Program Board of Education As a target for planning, the FCPS has established that the school system should ultimately operate at a capacity below 100% at each level. The purpose would be to decrease the number of schools that are more than 100% capacity and create enough flexibility to more effectively respond to instructional program needs and enrollment growth. The Board of Education (BOE) has accepted a target goal of 90% capacity at each level. The Frederick County Comprehensive Plan also includes a policy, which states that the County should “maintain a system wide enrollment capacity of 90% at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.”

As shown in the table, the increase in students over the next seven years will be approximately 2,821. The largest increase is at the high school levels where there will be approximately 1,173 seats needed for growth through 2026. In an attempt to meet the overall additional enrollment and current capacity issues in certain areas, funding is provided for the construction of six projects through FY 2026. These projects will increase elementary school seating by 2,016, middle school seating by 298, and zero to high school seating (School Capacity Project table). System-wide there is currently 679 elementary seats in excess of enrollment with 21 elementary schools at or over 100% of capacity. The number of schools over capacity still increased from last year from 102% to 104%. However, with the projects currently in the CIP, the 2026 overall enrollment/capacity rate at the elementary school level is projected to decrease from the current level of 104% to 96%. Currently Blue Heron New is being constructed that will add approximately 725 new seats. Four more schools which are all listed as addition/replacement are scheduled to receive construction funding in this CIP. This will add 1,291 additional seats. At the middle school level, there is a projected increase of approximately 480 students. Currently, there are five middle schools at or over 100% of capacity and system-wide there is a current excess of 2,009 seats. The overall middle school enrollment/capacity rate is projected to increase from the present 84% to 85%. The high school level is projected to increase by approximately 1,173 students over the seven year period. Currently, there are two high schools at or over 100% of capacity. System-wide there is a current excess of 1,536 seats. The overall enrollment/capacity rate at the high school level will increase from the current level of 90% to 98%.

Current and Projected Enrollment Growth September 2019 – 2026

Total Change Per Year

Pre K-12 Total

Elementary Middle

High

Sep. 2019 19,725 10,289 13,093 43,107 Sep. 2020 20,150 10,400 13,493 44,043 936 Sep. 2021 20,241 10,227 13,838 44,306 263 Sep. 2022 20,267 10,255 14,131 44,653 347 Sep. 2023 20,414 10,283 14,271 44,968 315 Sep. 2024 20,587 10,474 14,136 45,197 229 Sep. 2025 20,731 10,624 14,225 45,580 383 Sep. 2026 20,893 10,769 14,266 45,928 348

Total Increase

1,168

480

1,173 2,821

-Enrollments are “equated” enrollment

-Enrollments do not include students enrolled at Success Program, Heather Ridge, Rock Creek or Frederick County Virtual School. Data obtained from the Superintendent's Recommended Draft Educational Facilities Master Plan Annual Update - May 2020

Blue Heron ES: New ES in progress

659