Editor's note: A school district spokesman said Saturday that funding will not come from savings from a bond package approved by voters in 2007. That information has been removed from this version of the story.
FORT WORTH -- The Fort Worth school district is installing synthetic-turf practice fields at Arlington Heights and Paschal high schools with the expectation that boosters will eventually cover the $1.424 million cost.The school board voted unanimously June 12 to spend the money from the district's general fund with the understanding that the two schools' booster clubs will reimburse the district. Construction is under way, although agreements between the school district and the boosters are not complete.The fields are expected to be completed in September.PHS Legacy, the group raising money for Paschal, said on its website that it had commitments for $685,000 and needs to raise an additional $200,000. But the group's spokesman said it has around $300,000 in cash for the project and expects to pay the district in less than two years.No information is available on fundraising for Arlington Heights. Booster Chris Lewis declined to comment and directed questions to the school district.The decision to front the money for the work may be controversial, though, because it came two weeks before the school board declined to give teachers pay raises for now and dipped into savings to cover a $27.6 million shortfall in its $600 million budget for 2012-13.Equity also could be an issue, but if booster clubs at other Fort Worth high schools can raise the money for new turf, trustees said they would be receptive to the same kind of arrangement.Boosters, trustees and administrators hailed the arrangement as a public-private partnership for school improvement projects.Superintendent Walter Dansby declined a request for an interview and asked that questions be submitted in writing. In his one-paragraph response, he stressed that the project is not being done at district expense and will be a major donation to the district. He said that the arrangement complies with state law. "While the District is providing the security, the booster clubs at both schools are shouldering the expense. The District will have signed agreements with all parties that clearly outline the responsibilities," Dansby wrote in response to questions from the Star-Telegram.He added: "If the District could afford to fund such projects it would surely do so."But Dansby did not answer when asked whether he had checked out the booster clubs' finances before going forward with the deal. He also did not address whether the clubs had made any payments or what happens if the district is not repaid.A representative for Paschal boosters praised the district for the deal."This is a great example of public-private partnership," said Ken Schaefer, who led the marketing efforts for the Paschal group. "Fort Worth ISD has been tremendously receptive to this, and we know the school district would step up and do this if they had the funds, but they don't. Through Fort Worth ISD, though, we were able to utilize pricing that the school district could get, so they enabled us to do this project less expensively."School Trustee Tobi Jackson said she is comfortable with the arrangement, noting "a sense of urgency" to build the fields."My understanding is the community has promised to repay that money and people have obligated themselves to do that," Jackson said. "I'm thrilled that people in the community have stepped up to support the athletic programs."Asked whether the arrangement could lead to concerns about favoritism, Jackson said: " I think it gives the appearance that we have parents involved in high schools, and we need to continue that trend in this district. Let it be a model. We have to have private-public partnerships. That's the only way we can survive in these tough fiscal times."Trustee Ann Sutherland said she plans to ask for documentation on the terms of repayment.Trustee Judy Needham said: "It's a great public-private partnership and the whole community will be able to use the field," Needham said. "They [boosters] have the capacity at this point to raise that amount of money."Trustee J.R. Martinez said: "For me it's more of a partnership between the public and private sectors. We do welcome that. If there is a booster club that is looking to improve things at the school, I'm very receptive to that. I think it's a great deal. Sometimes the community needs to step up, and this is one of the times."Paragon Sports Constructors of Fort Worth will install the turf. In 2010, it replaced natural grass with synthetic turf at Scarborough-Handley Field, Clark Stadium and Farrington Field.Paschal supporters banded together more than four years ago to address the school's increasing enrollment (a projected 2,617 in the fall), a lack of money and a lack of expansion space.The first of its three-phase plan includes the construction of the new field, a new track, a new security fence and a second covered lunch patio. Paschal will still have just one outdoor field, but the synthetic turf will allow it to withstand heavy traffic and weather much better than in the past.The one field at Paschal is used for all outdoor sports, middle school games and physical education classes.Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis, a Class 3A school with a third of Paschal's enrollment, has two practice fields: one full-size and another 50 yards long."There's always going to be different budgets for every situation, but in general they should try to keep everybody on a level playing field," O.D. Wyatt High School football coach Zachary Criss said. "Trimble Tech only has one field. Poly only has one field. So what do you do about those schools that only have one field and don't have the booster clubs to come up with the money?"This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.Jarret Johnson, 817-390-7760,Jessamy Brown, 817-390-7326