Policy 7.13

Level of Service

1. Introduction. - The School Board of Palm Beach County shall achieve and maintain the adopted Level of Service ("LOS") consistent with the requirements of school concurrency and the adopted Palm Beach County Interlocal Agreement with Municipalities of Palm Beach County and the School District of Palm Beach County to Establish Public School Concurrency, as amended ("Interlocal"). A copy of the Interlocal can be found on the District's Planning Department web site at www.pbcschoolplanning.info. The provisions of this policy shall be interpreted in accordance with the Interlocal as may be amended.

2. Implementation of the Five-Year Plan and Capital Budget (Plan). The District shall provide timely new school capacity and maintain existing capacity by the orderly implementation of its Plan as provided in School Board Policy 7.132.

3. Boundary and Program Adjustments

   1. Maximum Utilization.- The Board shall maximize utilization of capacity through program and/or boundary adjustments and shall annually institute necessary program and/or boundary adjustments or provide additional capacity to ensure that all schools of each type in each Concurrency Service Area ("CSA") and each individual school will operate at the adopted LOS throughout the five-year period. CSA modifications are governed by Article V of the Interlocal.

   2. Level of Service (LOS Since August 1, 2004), the following LOS standards apply:

      1. One hundred and ten percent (110%) of capacity (utilization) as determined by the Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH); or

      2. If a school is planned and under contract and will relieve capacity at an existing school, upon determination by Technical Advisory Group (TAG), the school shall be allowed to exceed the 110% maximum utilization for a period not to exceed 2 years. This is intended to prevent the movement of students more than once.

      3. Up to one hundred and twenty percent (120%) of FISH capacity (utilization/LOS) (test two), for individual schools provided that the results of School Capacity Study (SCS) determines that a particular school can operate in excess of one hundred ten percent (110%) capacity.

      4. A SCS may be required by TAG if a school in the first Full Time Equivalency (FTE) student count of the first semester reaches one hundred and eight percent (108%) or above FISH capacity.

   3. School Capacity Study: When a SCS is required by District policy or the adopted Interlocal, the SCS shall determine if the growth rate within each CSA, causing a particular school's LOS to exceed one hundred ten percent (110%) of capacity, is temporary or reflects an ongoing trend affecting the LOS for the five-year planning period.

      1. At a minimum, the SCS shall consider:

         1. Demographics in the CSA within which the school is located;

         2. Student population trends;

         3. Real estate trends, e. g. existing redevelopment and new development;

         4. Teacher/student ratios; and

         5. Core facility capacity (which will also be taken into consideration when adding modular capacity).

      2. If the SCS concludes that the school can operate within the FISH guidelines and not exceed one-hundred and twenty percent (120%) LOS (utilization), then that school shall be considered to be operating within the adopted LOS and the CSA LOS shall be amended. Local governments will be notified to amend their comprehensive plans in the next round of amendments to reflect this additional capacity.

      3. Either the District or a local government may request a SCS.

   4. Program Option Adjustments

      1. The District shall regularly review and institute necessary program adjustments to not exceed the LOS in each CSA and each individual school.

      2. The Board shall establish policies for achieving and maintaining optimum effective enrollment capacities for program options within school facilities. These policies shall address the impacts on sending and receiving schools while meeting the requirements of school concurrency. Policy 5.01 on Student Assignment addresses this.

      3. The Board shall establish objectives for the Choice Program. The program shall be evaluated for its effectiveness. Consideration shall be given to optimizing resources for the program's implementation, timing and phasing. Policy 5.016 addresses this.

4. Capacity Measurement.- For purposes of this Policy, capacity shall be calculated as follows:

   1. Capacity of an existing school is its FISH capacity as reported in the most recent School Board-approved 5 Year Capital Plan. Capacity for future facilities or additions shall be that shown on the School Board-approved educational specifications for that school.

   2. Capacity added by modulars shall be calculated using 100% of the FISH-capacity formula. Beginning August 2004, capacity added through modulars shall be calculated at 100% of the state FISH capacity then in effect.

5. New Capacity

   1. The Board shall initiate the necessary program and/or boundary adjustments to reflect the new capacity for the schools that are scheduled to be constructed and opened for each year of the District's Program.

   2. These adjustments shall be consistent with the data and analysis provided in the CSA Tables of the District's Program.

6. Modification of the Adopted LOS

   1. The Technical Advisory Group ("TAG"), established by Article VI of the Interlocal, may evaluate and recommend a modification of the adopted LOS standard requested by the District or participating local government.

   2. At least fifty-one percent (51%) of the parties to the Interlocal and the Board must concur to the modification of the adopted LOS.