By Sophie Gorman Oriani
A new Hyattsville Elementary could be coming soon. The agenda for the Sept. 22 Prince George’s County Board of Education meeting includes a second round of schools to be rebuilt using alternative construction financing, and Hyattsville Elementary is on the list.
Alternative construction financing, also known as public-private partnership, is a model where the school system partners with private contractors to rebuild schools. The first round of schools built using this model are still under construction and scheduled to open for the 2023-2024 school year. (Hyattsville Middle School is one of those schools.)
While the first set of schools focused primarily on middle schools, this package includes rebuilding four elementary schools and two K-8 schools. All six schools are considered Cycle 1 schools by the county Educational Facilities Master Plan, meaning they are the highest priority to be replaced.
According to the accompanying presentation, the Hyattsville Elementary school building, which was built in 1935, has passed its useful life. It is also overcrowded, operating at 127% capacity. The new school will be at the same location as the old school.
Assuming the package is approved, the school system will issue a request for proposals and award an agreement with a firm in the first half of 2024. The schools are anticipated to all be ready for the 2026-2027 school year.
