Phase VI (2029-2034) Building Programs

Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees and Superintendent Huggins, the District’s Strategic Plan sets the focus for the entire District.  The three pillars are identified below and set the foundation for student success.

The goals in the strategic plan are clear: 

• Goal 1:  Literacy 
• Goal 2:  Algebra Readiness & Achievement   
• Goal 3:  College and Career Readiness   

Set the vision and make it plain. By June 2027, CCSD’s vision is to have all students reading on grade level by fifth grade. The mission of the Charleston County School District, working in partnership with students, families, the workplace and the community, is to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education that prepares them to succeed in a complex and competitive world. To monitor the progress towards achieving these goals, several interim goals and guardrails are in place.

CCSD demonstrates stewardship through its pro-organizational behavior in its alignment to District Strategy Goal 3: College and Career Readiness. The goal of the strategy is for the Operations Departments to align to student needs specifically through its work in Capital Projects, Nutrition Services, Transportation, Facilities Management, IT, Security & Emergency Management, and Planning & Real Estate. In addition to creating a learning environment that is conducive to learning and a positive school culture through building construction, CCSD is cognizant that factors such as sound instructional curriculum, strong teaching efficacy, administrative and leadership focus, as well as parent involvement are some of those elements that influence positive outcomes.   

Extension of the building program will continue to provide optimal conditions for teaching and learning by creating a safe, secure, and caring environment for students and staff.  This is done through lessons learned from past projects and research on how new school building construction and maintenance impact student outcomes. The importance of understanding how school infrastructure, as designed through district building and maintenance programs, impacts student achievement, is essential in demonstrating to all CCSD stakeholders the benefits in investing in improving school facilities as well as building new schools (Neilson & Zimmerman, 2011).  

Strategic focus areas, or what have been referred to as “priority factors,” have led to the identification of capital projects in the current and past master plans and the inclusion of projects on the sales tax referendum and its extensions.  There has not been a weighting between factors, but importance of the factor should be considered in prioritization. These factors included the following:  

As less projects are based on life safety because of the success in replacing schools with this factor, the adoption of the following factors is proposed:    

• District Standard
• Other

LIFE SAFETY 

The U.S. Geological Survey (UGSC) has placed Charleston in its highest hazard rating, Seismic 4.   However, the state of South Carolina did not have a building code that required designers to address the seismic codes until 2002 when it adopted the International Building Code (IBC).  Most multi-story schools built before 2002 have been replaced in the building program and the district continues to prioritize the remaining schools for replacement.    

GROWTH 

Unexpected growth in the district has required the installation of trailers to accommodate educational needs.   In response, the building program offers an opportunity to expand or renovate existing facilities to bring students back into permanent structures, keeping them from traversing the campus during adverse weather while also creating a better planning environment for instructional teams.  In previous building

programs, replacing trailers with permanent buildings has been included under the “life safety” factor, but it is better grouped with “growth,” which also includes projected additions based on enrollment projections.

PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT 

The Learning Services Division develops curriculum and aligns resources to positively impact student academic achievement towards college, career and citizenship readiness for every student.   To reach these goals, the district has identified program options to be implemented where students from the entire county have access.   These programs include: Advanced Studies Schools, Arts Infused Schools, Early Childhood Development / Early Head Start, Montessori Programs, STEM-Math & Science Focus Schools, and Center for Advanced Studies (CAS) / Career and Technology Education (CTE).

DISTRICT STANDARD 

Now we have schools that have been newly constructed, completely renovated or received new systems throughout over the last 24 years, ensuring the equity across schools whether new or upgraded is a necessary focus area. The district standard will ensure that all elementary schools include dedicated multipurpose rooms, all middle schools provide comparable exploratory learning spaces, and all high schools are equipped with adequate auditoriums, fine arts facilities, and athletic amenities. This approach promotes greater consistency and equity in educational and extracurricular opportunities across the district.

OTHER

Some needs are unique and warrant consideration to include in the prioritization of projects.   Examples would include:

• School communities who have identified outside funding to reduce the burden on the District and school communities
• Communities who have lesser capabilities to leverage community assets to support a school
• Projects on a sales tax referendum that have been unfunded or partially funded
• Facilities susceptible to chronic flooding