Elmbrook: $3 Million for a Ramp?

Seems that "referendum questions" are going to dominate School Board meetings at Elmbrook district for a while.

In addition to contemplating tossing out the Open Enrollment and Chapter 220 students, the Board is considering spending $3 million for accessibility improvements at Brookfield Central HS.

The plan would build a long ramp along a main floor courtyard that would wind to the second floor, where a new elevator would take students in wheelchairs to all three floors. Brookfield Central currently has no elevator, but it has four elevations.

The elevator would eliminate three classrooms. Also in the $2.9 million plan are a three-classroom addition for about $800,000 and renovation of eight restrooms.

However, Brookfield East HS is already accessible, and all District students requiring such accomodations are transported to East.

So how come is it that this is being considered?

Brookfield Central would have become accessible if a $99.3 million referendum to renovate and expand both high schools had passed. When it failed, parents of some disabled students at Wisconsin Hills Middle School began lobbying for a quicker fix so their children can attend Central.

It would be VERY interesting to learn the actual total of "some" ...students.

Fortunately, one member of the School Board gets it:

School Board member Bob Ziegler said he was sympathetic but wanted to see a comprehensive plan to upgrade Central, not just accessibility for the disabled.

HT: The Crocodile, who also does a statistical breakdown to arrive at the cost/student.