UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) - Maryland’s Prince George’s County could soon be the nation’s first school system to fund construction of several new schools by using a public-private partnership.
WTOP reported Saturday that the school system has four interested developers. They’ll be competing for a contract that could potentially bring in close to $1 billion over 30 years.
The school system has hired Jason Washington as its director of public-private partnerships. He is the former executive director of the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships.
The winning bidder would be responsible for building six new middle schools in the county by 2024. It would then oversee maintenance for the duration of the partnership, receiving payments that total around $30 million a year.
The school system has said that a partnership would fast-track construction. Waiting for the system to fund and build schools on its own could take more a decade.
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