Last year, Baltimore County Government and Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) initiated a process to assess school construction needs and develop a long-range plan that addresses those needs and allocates resources equitably. The Multi-Year Improvement Plan for All Schools (MYIPAS) is being facilitated by CannonDesign, a national architecture and planning company that has led over 1,300 education facility projects across the country, including over 200 education master plans. To learn more about the MYIPAS process from BCPS students and local leaders, watch our video.
The purpose of the MYIPAS is to develop a capital improvement program that maximizes state funding, defines facility priorities with community input; and assesses existing facilities based on the following three factors:
- Review all relevant data provided by Baltimore County Government and BCPS.
- Interview subject matter experts.
- Based on enrollment projections and capacity ratings, determine if there is sufficient capacity to meet current and future needs.
- Review current school boundaries and feeder patterns for possible adjustment due to enrollment patterns and school capacities.
- Review existing BCPS mission, goals, objectives, and programmatic priorities.
- Prioritize, using a rating system, the educational facilities based on equity of educational adequacy.
- Review current educational specifications for new facilities and all other relevant data provided by Baltimore County Government and BCPS.
- Interview senior staff from various BCPS divisions of business and curriculum and instruction and school leadership.
- Analyze the current and future facility implications of each school facility in relation to BCPS’ current 21st century educational specifications.
About the Equity Metric
With the MYIPAS, Baltimore County Government and Baltimore County Public Schools reaffirm their shared commitment to ensuring access to high-quality facilities and instructional technologies for all students, as well as provide special support programs for Baltimore County’s most vulnerable school communities. In order to acknowledge and proactively address inequities, the MYIPAS features an educational adequacy and equity assessment, which studies how well BCPS schools measure up to the unique needs of each school population.
The MYIPAS uses current State of Maryland and Baltimore County school construction standards as a minimum baseline, and layers an additional evaluation of school facilities based on facility needs related to providing appropriate accommodations for students eligible for free and reduced lunch, homeless students, special education services, English learners and students with significant learning gaps. These equity data are included in needs benchmarking metrics and prioritization of high-impact facility investments, such as community health and wellness spaces, food pantries, laundry and showering facilities, and social-emotional support spaces.
- Facility assessment for all schools, centers and programs using national standardized methodology for exterior and interior walls, windows, doors, mechanical systems, etc.
- Interview subject matter experts.
- Develop Facility Condition Index (FCI) scores for buildings and Discipline Condition Index (DCI) scores for individual systems.
- Prioritize building systems based on need, observe deficiencies, remaining useful life, and classify each system based on a recommended timeframe for when these systems should be repaired/replaced.
- Review and inventory BCPS’ undeveloped sites and analyze future use.
- Review relevant data provided by BCG and BCPS.
Community Engagement
Community input is an integral part of the MYIPAS development. There are several opportunities for community members to participate throughout the process:
- Two virtual community forums are scheduled for February and June of 2021, to review proposed options and considerations.
- Two online surveys to gain community input. The first survey provided input around the guiding principles of the plan. The second survey will be available in June and will allow community members to provide input on proposed plan options.
- Participate in general public comment.
- Via the online comment form to Baltimore County Public Schools.
- Stakeholders may submit public comments for review during BCPS Board of Education meetings.
- Questions and comments may also be emailed to the BCPS Board of Education at boe@bcps.info.
Virtual Community Forums
To view upcoming meeting details, select from the list below or view the full 2021 calendar for past meeting details.
Comment Form
Provide your feedback based on your experience as a BCPS user.
Plan Phases and Timeline
CannonDesign's comprehensive MYIPAS will include prioritized options for elementary, middle and high school projects. The MYIPAS is comprised of two phases. The first phase of the CannonDesign consultation process evaluated high school facilities. The second phase will include elementary, middle schools and other specialty schools/centers.
The timeline from identifying a school as a priority and the completion of the renovated/replacement school building will vary based on the funding available from the State government and the number of projects that still need to be completed.
MYIPAS findings will reflect a comprehensive analysis of all schools based upon integration of quantitative data (surveys, enrollment projections, facilities condition indices and capacity use) and qualitative data (focus groups, community forums and stakeholder advisory committees). The final report is expected to be delivered in the fall of 2021 and will provide a comprehensive set of recommendations for all public schools in Baltimore County.
Phase One: Process and Recommendations for High Schools
Phase one focused on the interim recommendations for high school facilities (PDF) that was presented to both the Board of Education and Baltimore County Council in September 2020.
During phase one, focus groups were created in the areas of facility, capacity and equity. Their tasks included:
- Oversight of an industry-standard assessment of BCPS buildings and grounds
- Review of enrollment projections and capacity utilization
- Guidance on a facility educational equity and adequacy assessment
- Oversight of the design and implementation of an online community survey which resulted in 22,000 responses
In addition to community forums, over 22,000 community members, students, and educators completed a survey. Read the full results of the survey.
| Date | Topic | Important Documents |
|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2020 | MYIPAS update presented to the BCPS Board of Education | |
| August 11, 2020 | MYIPAS update presented to the BCPS Board of Education | |
| September 29, 2020 | Phase One Recommendations Presentation to BCPS Board of Education | |
| October 13, 2020 | Report to the BCPS Board of Education |
Phase Two: Process and Recommendations for All Schools
| Date | Topic | Important Documents |
|---|---|---|
| January 26, 2021 | MYIPAS 101–Virtual Community Forum | |
| February 3, 2021 | MYIPAS Guiding Principles Virtual Community Forum | Will be posted when available. |
| March 23, 2021 | Report to the County Executive, County Council and Board of Education |
Learn More
Learn more about the following topics related to the MYIPAS.
Interactive Data Tracker
Engage with Cannon Design's Interactive Data Tracker.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee
The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) is a cross-sectional group of BCPS facility users including students, parents, educators, educational advisory councils and community members. Committee members were identified by BCPS staff and County government officials in consultation with TABCO, advisory councils and fellow community members. The committee was carefully selected to reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of all stakeholder groups.
SAGE High School Overcrowding Study
MYIPAS builds upon and expands findings and future recommendations of the SAGE report (PDF)—a study commissioned in 2018 by BCPS which utilized enrollment projections, surveys and community input to determine the community’s preferences regarding overcrowding relief options for BCPS high schools.