A new, objective ranking system was supposed to take the emotion out of decisions about which Howard County schools get built or renovated first.
But when the Board of Education voted on the next round of school construction projects earlier this month, they deviated from the recommended schools on the priority list, postponing a long-awaited high school renovation. And they sent some communities into a tailspin in the process.
Going into the Nov. 6 vote, Oakland Mills High families held their breath to see if much-needed upgrades to the school would be approved. As of this spring, funding for the renovation was set to kick in during the 2027 budget year. But the new ranking system, which favors buildings in poor condition and those that need to expand to relieve overcrowding, positioned Oakland Mills High at No. 40 out of 82 facilities.
Meanwhile, Centennial High parents’ frustrations were mounting, because the Ellicott City school was ranked No. 18 but wasn’t included in the plan before the school board. The Centennial community hoped the school board would change course.
The board did switch gears, but left both high school communities high and dry.
Instead of approving the superintendent’s proposal to move forward with Oakland Mills High, the board instead voted for an alternate plan presented by school system staff that tackles three smaller projects: the county’s 43rd elementary school, an HVAC renovation at Atholton Elementary (ranked No. 7) and a renovation and addition project at Patapsco Middle (ranked No. 10).
“We affect more students in a positive way by going with the smaller projects,” said school board member Jen Mallo during the Nov. 6 vote.
The alternate plan, funding three projects, is slated to cost $170.61 million — $1.32 million more than the Oakland Mills project.
What to know about rankings
In the past, when the school board would decide on which school construction projects to move forward, there was a lot of back and forth, with questions from both the board and the community. In an attempt to set a more predictable schedule for upgrades, the school board this time tasked school system officials with developing an objective and data-based priority list, said Dan Lubeley, the school system’s executive director of capital planning and construction.
“That’s what we tried to do,” Lubeley said in an interview. “Now, this is a big step forward, but is it [the new ranking system] the end product? It’s not.”
While the priority list gives each school a ranking, it doesn’t mean they’ll get renovated in that exact order, said spokesperson Brian Bassett. Some schools are higher on the list because of overcrowding, which can be alleviated with redistricting instead of an addition to the building. A building with failing heat and air conditioning is more pressing and might be prioritized instead. That’s why the school board selected Patapsco Middle this time, Bassett said.
According to a June report, the prioritization process will continue to evolve. For now, it takes into account both the condition of school buildings and what they need to function for students and staff.
For example, some elementary school classrooms will need to be outfitted with bathrooms as the school district expands prekindergarten access, a state mandate.
The age of a building is also not the most critical factor, contrary to community belief. Some of the older schools may have been better maintained and upgraded than other schools.
Available funding might also influence which projects get greenlit first. High schools typically are the most expensive to build and renovate due to their vast size and need for specialized areas, including large auditoriums, science and technology labs, and athletic fields. It’s not uncommon for those projects to be put on the back burner in favor of lower-cost updates to several schools.
“Everybody focuses on their community school and the capital budget is larger and has more needs than just that,” Lubeley said. “We need to find an objective data-based way to address the most urgent needs as funding will allow.”
Emotions still run high
In April, the board unanimously approved the new ranking system for school upgrades.
But this month, school board Chair Jolene Mosley cast the sole dissenting vote in the 6-to-1 decision on the next round of renovations.
Mosley said the board should be responsive to community needs.
“I really feel like we can do better by not always bucking the same people. … We want them to have good facilities. We want them to be proud of their school building,” Mosley said.
While Mosley’s colleagues did not vote with her, she did receive vocal support from the student member of the board. While Erin Alistar cannot vote on renovation projects, the River Hill High senior backed moving forward with high school projects.
“There’s projects that are going to have more student impact, but the quality of that impact, in my opinion, is much higher and more profound at the high school level, in helping people access opportunities on their own and having the mindset to kind of begin adult life after they graduate,” Alistar said before the vote.
The Oakland Mills community agrees.
“Since 2009, our community has been asking HCPSS, ‘If you don’t start renovations now, then when?’ The Board has made their answer clear: never,” according to a community letter.
Oakland Mills High staff planned “walk-in” demonstrations in front of the school every day this week and plan to hold a protest outside the Board of Education, with parents, on Thursday afternoon.
The board will hold a final vote on the school renovations funding in the late spring after the request is reviewed by the county executive and County Council.
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