If the Welch School in Peabody was renovated with MSBA funding, why can’t we?

Watch Eric Tracy answer the question HERE, begins at the 15:24 minute-mark.

Welch School’s existing layout and classroom sizes met the MSBA’s educational space standards before they began their project, making renovation viable. In contrast, Cutler and Winthrop schools fall far short of these standards across nearly every area: classroom size, specialized spaces, support areas, and accessibility. Since 2019/20, construction costs have risen 3-5% annually. MSBA’s cost estimates for elementary schools have doubled, from $454 per sq. ft. (Peabody Welch School) to over $900 per sq. ft. for projects starting in two years. Renovating them would still result in schools that don’t meet today’s educational needs and would receive no MSBA funding.