FY 2022 Educational Facilities Master Plan

over these geographic areas, they are a starting point to see how WCPS capacity relates to these geographic locations (see Figure 7 – red indicates over capacity, green indicates at capacity and black indicates under capacity).

Figure 7

Looking at these quadrants in more detail it is apparent that all quadrants have at least 14% of their schools “over” capacity (See Figure 7). The majority of WCPS schools are located within a Priority Funding Area (PFA). Priority Funding Areas are locations where the State and local governments want to target their efforts to encourage and support economic development and new growth. This becomes even more critical due to recent changes the Administration of the Public School Construction Program specifically noting that “Location of a new school or a replacement school that adds capacity be within a Priority Funding Area”. Also required is a Priority Funding Area review by the Maryland Department of Planning.

WCPS remains concerned about the amount of single-family and multi-family activity within the Delmar area due to the fact that we are unable to track growth data for the state of Delaware. Subjective observation and unofficial reports indicate additional residential growth is continuing. This will exacerbate the current overcrowded conditions at Delmar Elementary and the site has very little room for expansion.

Wicomico County Public Schools Educational Facilities Master Plan FY 2022

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