MSBA Announces $50 Million Approval for New “Model” Somerset-Berkley Regional High School

MSBA Announces $50 Million Approval for New “Model” Somerset-Berkley Regional High School

MSBA Board votes to contribute up to $50,068,817 towards the new regional high school

State Treasurer Steven Grossman, Chairman of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), and Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director, today announced that the MSBA Board of Directors voted to approve funding to build a new Somerset-Berkley Regional High School as part of the MSBA’s Model School Program.

The new Regional High School will be built upon a design enrollment of 1,000 students serving grades 9-12. The MSBA will be contributing up to 67.48% of eligible costs for a total grant of up to $50,068,817 towards the new Regional High School. The new Regional High School will be built as an energy efficient “Model” school.

“Our Model School Program has saved communities across the Commonwealth valuable time and money. I am pleased Somerset-Berkley’s needs are a good fit for this program and that they can take advantage of this potential savings while providing their high school students with a modern learning environment that fully supports the districts educational plan,” said State Treasurer Steven Grossman.

“I look forward to continuing our work with Somerset-Berkley during this next stage in the process to build a new model school that meets MSBA guidelines,” said Katherine Craven, Executive Director of the MSBA.

The MSBA’s Model School Program effectively adapts and re-uses design elements from successful, recently-constructed schools, simplifying the design process, reducing the amount of time projects are in the design phase, and lowering design fees. Using elements of a previously designed Model School allows projects to begin construction faster and reduces construction costs for the project. At least a year of design work can be saved by using a Model School.

The MSBA strives to find the right-sized, most fiscally-responsible, and educationally-appropriate solutions to create safe and sound learning environments. In its six year history, the MSBA has made more than $8 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns, and regional school districts for school construction projects. These timely payments have saved municipalities over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs and have provided much needed cash flow to communities in these difficult economic times.