As enrollments decline, Leon County schools may lease excess space to other educational institutions – WFSU News

Report on Underutilized Educational Infrastructure in Leon County

Introduction and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Leon County school district is currently facing a significant operational challenge with approximately 6,000 student vacancies across its facilities. This situation presents a critical opportunity to advance several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through strategic asset management. This report analyzes a proposal to repurpose this excess capacity through local partnerships, focusing on its alignment with SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Analysis of the Current Situation

Capacity and Causation

The primary factors contributing to the district’s underutilization of school infrastructure include:

• A reported capacity surplus equivalent to 6,000 students.
• The migration of students to private and charter schools, facilitated by a state-level financial assistance program.

Implications for Sustainable Community Planning (SDG 11)

The existence of underutilized public buildings poses a challenge to the principles of sustainable community development outlined in SDG 11. Efficiently managing this public infrastructure is essential for ensuring that community resources are used in a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient manner, preventing the economic and social costs associated with vacant properties.

Proposed Collaborative Solutions for Sustainable Development

Partnership Opportunities (SDG 17)

In a clear demonstration of SDG 17, which encourages public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, two local educational organizations have proposed leasing the district’s available space. These proposals aim to create a multi-faceted solution that benefits the community and aligns with global development targets.

1. Leon County Head Start: Director Daryl James has requested space to accommodate 322 children. This partnership would directly advance SDG 4 (Target 4.2) by ensuring access to quality early childhood development and pre-primary education, particularly for vulnerable populations, thereby also supporting SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
2. Brownsville Preparatory Institute: Founder Rita Brown proposed a lease agreement, highlighting the opportunity for the district to generate sustainable revenue. This initiative supports SDG 11 by ensuring the financial viability and continued use of public assets and contributes to local economic stability in line with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Strategic Rationale and Policy Considerations

The School Board’s consideration of these proposals is guided by several strategic factors that reinforce the district’s commitment to sustainable and community-focused education.

• Proactive Asset Management: School Board Member Laurie Lawson Cox noted that partnering with established local programs is a preferable alternative to the state’s “Schools of Hope” program, which could mandate co-location with external charter schools at the district’s expense.
• Community-Centric Partnerships: The board favors collaboration with “homegrown successful programs” like Brownsville Preparatory Institute, which have a proven history of educational achievement and community support. This approach strengthens local educational ecosystems, a key component of achieving SDG 4.
• Sustainable Revenue Generation: The proposal is recognized as a method for the district to capitalize on underutilized space and generate sustainable income, ensuring the long-term financial health of its public infrastructure.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Mandate for Action

The School Board has formally tasked Superintendent Rocky Hanna with developing actionable plans for how Head Start and Brownsville Preparatory Institute could lease the district’s surplus space.

Overall Contribution to Global Goals

This initiative represents a practical model for local governance to address operational challenges while simultaneously advancing global sustainability targets. By transforming a problem of excess capacity into an opportunity for collaboration, Leon County can strengthen its educational offerings (SDG 4), ensure the efficient and sustainable use of its public infrastructure (SDG 11), and pioneer effective community partnerships (SDG 17).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article’s central theme is education, specifically the management of educational facilities and ensuring access to learning environments. It discusses public school capacity, the needs of an early childhood program (Head Start), and a private institute (Brownsville Preparatory Institute), all of which fall under the umbrella of providing quality education.
2. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article highlights a potential collaboration between different types of organizations. The Leon County school district (a public entity) is considering forming a partnership with Head Start (a government-funded early childhood program) and the Brownsville Preparatory Institute (a private school). This proposed public-private-civil society partnership to solve a common problem is the core of SDG 17.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The issue of “underutilized space” in public schools is a matter of urban resource management. The proposal to lease this space is described as a way to “generate in a way that’s sustainable in the future.” This aligns with the goal of making communities more sustainable by ensuring efficient and inclusive use of public infrastructure like school buildings.

2. Specific SDG Targets

1. Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
   • This target is directly addressed through the mention of the Leon County Head Start program, which is a key provider of early childhood education. The director’s statement that they “have here in Leon County 322 slots that we would like to put into Leon County schools” clearly indicates an effort to expand access to pre-primary education for local children.
2. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
   • The article focuses on the management of existing education facilities. The fact that schools are “6-thousand students under capacity” points to a challenge in facility utilization. The proposal to lease this “underutilized space” to other educational programs is a strategy to ensure that these physical assets continue to serve as “effective learning environments” for the community in a sustainable manner, rather than falling into disuse.
3. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • The entire discussion revolves around creating such a partnership. The school board (public) is exploring leasing arrangements with Head Start (civil society/publicly funded) and Brownsville Preparatory Institute (private). The board’s interest in “homegrown successful programs” like Brownsville over an unknown charter school demonstrates a strategic approach to partnership-building to achieve educational goals.

3. Mentioned or Implied Indicators

1. Number of children requiring access to pre-primary education.
   • The article provides a specific number: “322 slots” that the Head Start program needs. This figure acts as a direct, quantitative indicator of the unmet need for early childhood education facilities in the county, which can be used to measure progress towards Target 4.2.
2. Capacity utilization rate of school facilities.
   • The article states that the district’s schools are “about 6-thousand students under capacity.” This number is a clear indicator of the extent of underutilization of educational infrastructure. Progress towards Target 4.a could be measured by a reduction in this number as the space is filled by partner programs.
3. Formation of multi-stakeholder partnerships.
   • While not a number, the primary outcome discussed is the potential for a leasing agreement. The school board asking the superintendent “to come up with ideas on how Head Start and Brownsville could lease the district’s excess space” implies that the formation of these agreements is the key indicator of progress towards Target 17.17. The successful establishment of these partnerships would be the measurable outcome.

Summary Table of Findings

Source: news.wfsu.org