MSBA Invites Needham’s Hillside Elementary School into Eligibility Period

State Treasurer Steven Grossman, chairman of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), and Massachusetts School Building Authority  executive director Jack McCarthy announced today that the Massachusetts School Building Authority Board of Directors voted to invite the Hillside Elementary School into the Eligibility Period.

“I’m delighted that the Board has voted the Hillside Elementary School into the Eligibility Period,” Grossman said. “We look forward to working collaboratively with Needham officials to develop the best solution to meet the town’s educational needs in a fiscally responsible manner.”

During the 270-day Eligibility Period, the Massachusetts School Building Authority ill work with Needham to determine the district’s financial and community readiness to enter the capital pipeline. The next step is for the district to complete preliminary requirements pertaining to local approval and formation of a local school building committee. Upon timely and successful completion of the Eligibility Period requirements, the district becomes eligible for an invitation into the Feasibility Study phase of the capital pipeline, subject to a vote of the Board of Directors.

“The Eligibility Period is a critical step in the MSBA’s process of evaluating potential work on the Hillside Elementary School,” McCarthy said. “We look forward to our continued partnership with the district as it enters the Eligibility Period.”

The Massachusetts School Building Authority partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally- appropriate, flexible, sustainable and cost-effective public school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the Authority has made over $10.1 billion in reimbursements for education capital improvement projects. These timely payments have saved districts over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs and have provided much needed cash flow to communities.