This page is part of the Abington Middle School Project Archive (January 2024-May 2025).
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Our Challenges
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One ASD, One Future is a long-range facilities planning initiative by Abington School District to provide the best educational environment for its student population. This process revealed that our most significant facilities needs are at Abington Middle School.
After three years of planning and community input, the District has proposed building a new Middle School. This plan addresses our challenges, prioritizes the needs of students and staff, reflects our community’s priorities, and provides long-term value.
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Since it was built in 1964, Abington Middle School has served our community well. As the building has aged, the challenges of maintaining it and enhancing student learning experiences have increased. Our dedicated teachers provide quality education in a building that is not keeping pace with modern teaching methods. In addition, students are learning in a building not designed for their age group, making it more challenging for the District to keep pace with its goal of providing personalized learning experiences in smaller grade-specific teaming communities within a larger school.
Current challenges include outdated infrastructure, systems that are not up to modern code, accessibility issues that hinder an equitable experience for all students, insufficient space, a lack of natural light, opportunities to strengthen safety and security, and a building layout that is difficult to navigate and manage. For more information, visit the Challenges Page.
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A safe, welcoming, healthy learning environment is vital for academic success and student and staff well-being. As we look to the future, we recognize that addressing our aging buildings is key to our commitment to providing innovative programming, modern teaching methods, robust activities, and a positive culture.
Questions About the Plan
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After three years of planning and community input, the District has proposed building a new Middle School. This plan prioritizes the needs of students and staff, reflects our community’s priorities, and provides long-term value.
Building a new Middle School would:
Provide a modern, cost-effective facility: Building a new school will provide a modern design that adapts to meet future programming needs. The new infrastructure will provide a healthy, energy-efficient building, increase natural light in classrooms, improve ventilation and enhance safety and security. New buildings and infrastructure are less likely to have unexpected challenges, which helps prevent costly repairs and makes maintenance more cost-efficient.
Create a sense of community with purposeful design: A new Middle School will be customized with grade-specific classrooms and learning spaces. This approach supports personalized learning and creates a more welcoming environment for all students. The new building will incorporate more common areas and large-group spaces for student and staff collaboration. This includes athletic and performing arts areas that are more appropriately sized for the school population.
Improve layout and enhance safety: Building from the ground up allows for a more functional Middle School layout, with better sightlines of visibility and widened hallways and stairwells to improve traffic flow and ensure the school day is a better student experience.
Building a new middle school will minimize disruption to student learning during the multi-year construction process. Students will be able to continue learning in the current Middle School until the new one is completed. In contrast, renovating the current building would disrupt teaching and learning, including relocating students and staff to other parts of the building during construction or using modular classrooms.
Learn more about these benefits on our Plan Page.
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On May 20, Abington Township and Borough of Rockledge residents will vote on a bond referendum to authorize a $285 million investment to build a new Middle School.
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The District engaged independent consultants to conduct a facilities assessment, reviewed demographics, evaluated operational and financial considerations, and gathered feedback from parents, staff, and residents for three years. Read more details about this planning process on our Process Page.
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Yes. Based on research, expert analysis, and community feedback, the District developed four initial options for the future of Abington Middle School.
The District presented these options to our community for their input and feedback. The District held listening sessions with parents/guardians, staff, students and community members. It conducted two scientific telephone surveys, three online surveys, and three open house/town hall community events. These activities were in addition to information presented at public meetings of the Board of School Directors.
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The District is committed to maintaining school facilities that are not included in the referendum plan by using current resources to address ongoing needs.
Questions About the Cost and Design
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The proposed $285 million bond referendum is based on anticipated construction costs for a 345,000-square-foot middle school that would serve up to 2,200 students.
The square footage for the new building was based on several factors, including the District’s educational program, academic needs, common spaces, performing arts, fitness and wellness spaces, and space for administration, student services and facility support.
Cost estimates were developed collaboratively by architects, District Administration, engineers, and financial experts. The estimated price per square foot reflects projected construction costs in the Pennsylvania market for 2026-2028. In addition to the building’s square footage, educational spaces and essential infrastructure, the cost estimate factored in the following:
Design costs for architectural and engineering services
Building construction costs, including materials and labor for general construction, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
Site development and building demolition costs
Relocation costs for athletic fields and amenities as required under the proposed plan
General conditions, such as a job trailer, dumpsters, temporary systems and site supervision
Permitting and compliance, including land development costs, testing and code compliance
Furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) to furnish and equip the school
Professional services, including project development, construction management, commissioning, legal, insurance and other required professional services
A construction contingency fund for unforeseen costs during construction
The District evaluated what is needed in a new middle school that will serve students and our community for the next 50 to 60 years. This process included analyzing costs from what comparable school districts are spending on new construction and accounting for likely inflationary impacts between now and the school’s expected opening.
If voters approve the proposed Middle School plan on May 20, the final project costs will be determined through a detailed design and bidding process, ensuring responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
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The District does not have renderings or conceptual images of the proposed new Middle School to share at this time. Developing designs for a new school is a significant investment, and school districts do not have the funds to design a major project like building a new school before voters approve it in a referendum.
The District is committed to using taxpayer resources responsibly and engaging the community in this project. If voters approve the proposed plan to build a new Middle School on May 20, district residents will have the opportunity to share input on the design of the new Middle School.
Based on the input the District has received from teachers and staff, parents/guardians, and our community, the new school would be intentionally designed to prioritize the needs of students and staff, reflect our community’s priorities and provide long-term value. Some features of a new building would include:
A modern, cost-effective facility that adapts to future programming needs.
A “small school” community built around the educational teaming model to provide grade-specific areas or classrooms and learning spaces that support collaborative teaching and learning.
Fully accessible and ADA-compliant design to ensure an inclusive experience for all students.
Enhanced safety features for a more secure learning space.
For more information on the middle school plan, please visit our Plan Page.
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The District is using a program management model to streamline the project, reduce financial risk to the district, and ensure that the activities of all contractors are aligned. The District selected ICS, a construction management firm in Media, PA that specializes in managing large-scale educational facilities projects, using a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process that evaluated experience, technical expertise, and cost.
ICS‘s technical expertise in complex construction projects, combined with their commitment to helping school districts construct and remodel facilities in ways that support educational goals, has made them the preferred partner for many school districts in Pennsylvania and other states. ICS has been working with the District for nearly three years to assess its school buildings and engage the community in a long-term facilities planning process.
Under the Separations of Trades Act, the District must contract separately with General, Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical contractors. Under other management models, this requires the District to dedicate staff and resources to oversee these contracts and manage the entire construction process. With four separate prime contractors, conflicting priorities can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and change orders, thereby increasing the risk of budget overruns.
With program management, ICS provides single-source accountability, directly managing all prime contractors and overseeing contracts for professional services subcontractors needed for the project. They will ensure that all contractors adhere to contract specifications, meet the District’s educational goals for the new building, and deliver a high-quality building while minimizing financial, scheduling, and compliance risks for the District. ICS is responsible for ensuring that approximately $30 million of construction and professional services are delivered on time and on-budget from the firms under contract. ICS will report these costs directly to the Board of School Directors and District Administration each month for approval, ensuring close oversight of all spending.
Of the total project cost, 87.4% will be used for the construction of the new Middle School and demolition of the current school. The remaining 12.6% will be for professional services and the purchase of furnishings and equipment needed to operate the school. See the question on professional services and other expenses for more information.
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Indirect costs are expenses not directly tied to physical construction but essential for project completion. These costs include the architectural and engineering services, construction management, site development, permitting, commissioning, contract management, legal and insurance costs, environmental compliance, and all other expenses required to meet building codes and modern educational standards. Because of the complexity of the project, the District has hired ICS of Media, PA, to manage the entire project. They are responsible for ensuring that approximately $30 million of construction and professional services are delivered on-time and on-budget from the firms under contract. ICS will report these costs directly to the school board and administration each month for approval, ensuring close oversight of all spending.
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If voters approve the proposed middle school investment plan on Tuesday, May 20, the design process for a new middle school would likely start in June 2025 and take about a year. Project bidding and permitting would be expected to take place in fall 2026 into early 2027. Construction of the new middle school would then start in early 2027. Once the new middle school is built, we will have other construction projects on the middle school campus, such as restoring athletic facilities, constructing new parking, and demolishing the existing middle school. We will likely not be done with the entire project until spring or summer of 2030. We are unable to provide a specific move-in date for the new Middle School as construction timelines can vary, but it could be as early as the start of the 2029/2030 school year.
Questions About the Tax Impact
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Voter-approved funding is an essential way for Pennsylvania school districts to make significant investments to improve education, facilities and operations without hindering routine school operations and day-to-day student needs. Through extensive community engagement, teachers and staff, parents/guardians and residents said residents should have the opportunity to vote in a referendum. A referendum ensures that residents in a school district have a direct voice in decisions that impact public education and local tax rates.
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This investment would be funded by a tax increase on property owners in Abington Township and the Borough of Rockledge. If the referendum is approved by a majority vote on May 20, the estimated tax impact on a median homestead in the District with a current implied market value of $387,402 would be $54 per month. The earliest that any tax impact would go into effect would be July 2026, but the full tax impact will be phased in over several years to reflect when the bonds for the project are issued. The exact timing of the subsequent tax impact is not known at this time, but if the referendum is approved by voters, the Board of School Directors will determine a schedule for bond issuance during the design phase.
The tax impact estimate is based on assumptions which, along with a tax calculator tool, can be found on the Cost Page.
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No. If approved by voters on May 20, bonds will be issued to build a new Middle School. The exact timing of the bonds is not yet determined, as it will be dependent on interest rates at the time of issuance. Estimates were based on a duration of 39 years.
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Your property value will determine your tax impact and will vary based on the actual assessed value of your home. Use this tax calculator to estimate your individual tax impact.
Click here for a comparison chart of millage rates in Montgomery County.
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Select senior citizen homeowners may be eligible to receive tax relief via Abington School District's Senior Citizen Tax Rebate Program, which is based on the Pennsylvania Property Tax Rebate. To be eligible, you must have already been approved through the state’s program and paid your school real estate taxes in full before applying for the District’s rebate. Click here for information.
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If the referendum doesn’t pass on May 20, the facility challenges at the Middle School will not go away. To keep the building operational by making necessary upgrades and repairs, the District would need to take on debt. Paying back that debt each year would overextend the general fund, which is already dedicated to education programs, staff, maintenance, and transportation. Without the sufficient funds in the general budget to absorb the costs of loan payments, all budgetary expense areas across all schools would need to be examined for potential cuts. This approach would strain the entire District, take resources away from other schools, and risk disruptions at the Middle School as urgent repairs become more frequent and costly.
For example, fixing only the most urgent repairs required to keep the building operational is estimated to cost over $100 million and would take about four to five years. Financing these repairs would result in an eventual annual impact of $8.3 million on the operating budget over the next 20 years. This would require the District to make difficult budget decisions affecting all schools, including cuts to classroom education, staff, programs, student services, athletics and activities.
A full renovation to bring the Middle School up to code, including ADA, is estimated to cost over $200 million. This equates to a $16.2 million impact on the annual operating budget for the next 20 years and would force even deeper cuts across all schools.
This renovation would not include an addition to the current building, which is essential to meet the educational needs of students. A renovation that includes an addition is estimated to cost up to $268 million, which would further strain the operating budget and increase the financial impact on all schools.
The decision to build a new Middle School was based on a multi-year assessment process that included extensive community input. Members of the community who engaged with the District in this process indicated that a new Middle School would be the preferred option to provide the most long-term value while achieving the District’s goals. The Board of School Directors decided to bring this plan to a referendum to let voters in Abington Township and the Borough of Rockledge decide if it can move forward.
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If the referendum question fails on May 20, the District is allowed by law to present a new referendum question after a period of 155 days has passed. However, after more than two years of assessments and input from residents, the Abington Board of School Directors is confident that this is the best plan for the District.
Questions About Voting
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Election Day is Tuesday, May 20.
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Election Day is Tuesday, May 20. Find your polling place and check your registration status here.
Mail-in ballots must be received by the Montgomery County election office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, May 20) to be counted. Request your mail-in ballot here.
You must register to vote by Monday, May 5 to make your voice heard on the May referendum. (Your application for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by the Montgomery County election office no later than 5 p.m. on May 13.)
For more information on voting, visit the Montgomery County website.
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Yes. All Abington Township and Borough of Rockledge residents who are eligible to vote will be able to vote on the referendum. Voters who are not registered as a Democrat or Republican will receive a non-partisan ballot that will only contain the referendum question. Eligible voters can apply for an absentee/mail-in ballot or choose to vote in-person on Election Day (May 20) to obtain a non-partisan ballot, whichever they prefer.