Oklahoma
Oklahoma City Public Schools planning nearly $1 billion bond issue in 2022
Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges welcomes college students again from summer season break
As Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges returned from summer season break, members of the district discuss in regards to the security measures in place for college kids and school.
Addison Kliewer, Oklahoman
The biggest bond challenge in Oklahoma Metropolis Public Colleges historical past, nearing $1 billion, is on the road in a district faculty board vote Monday.
The varsity board will determine whether or not to name for a bond election to happen Nov. 8, the identical date as Oklahoma’s common elections.
If the board approves, residents residing inside the faculty district borders would vote on the $955 million bond challenge. It might want no less than 60% of voter assist to go.
The 2022 bond would increase the district’s mill levy from 18 mills for each $1,000 of assessed property worth to a spread of 20 to 26 mills, Superintendent Sean McDaniel mentioned final month. The district mentioned it is going to announce the precise levy quantity at Monday’s board assembly.
“We start with the premise of we predict we are able to do higher by our youngsters,” McDaniel mentioned in an April interview. “We predict we are able to present extra alternatives. We are able to step it up. We have to.”
Extra protection: New excessive colleges? A contemporary stadium? OKC colleges unveil tasks for 2022 bond
The bond would comprise two propositions. The primary proposition, price $936 million, would construct 5 new colleges, a brand new regional stadium, versatile house additions at 5 excessive colleges and classroom expansions. It might spend hundreds of thousands on expertise gadgets, furnishings and renovations for all district colleges.
A second proposition would allocate $19 million to new faculty buses and autos.
With the discharge of the board’s assembly agenda, Friday marked the primary time the district launched greenback quantities for each main bond mission.
A brand new Capitol Hill Excessive College can be the most costly building job with a $116,144,000 price ticket. The unique facility was in-built 1928.
Extra on OKCPS: Oklahoma Metropolis space college students head again to high school as district begins particular person educational monitoring
Belle Isle Enterprise Excessive College would price $76,160,000. This may open a completely new highschool pathway for college kids attending Belle Isle Enterprise Center College.
The varsity district goals to construct two new center colleges, one to exchange Taft Center College on the worth of $57,792,000 and one other, price $58,680,000, to consolidate Capitol Hill Center College and Wheeler Center College. Inbuilt 1930, Taft is the youngest facility of the three.
A $29,334,000 elementary faculty building would exchange Adelaide Lee Elementary and Shidler Elementary. The 2 south Oklahoma Metropolis colleges have been in-built 1910 and 1930, respectively.
Some colleges — like Adelaide Lee, Taft and Capitol Hill — have a big sufficient campus footprint that their substitute might be constructed on the identical property, McDaniel mentioned.
Choices are a good distance from being made on the brand new faculty places and the way forward for the unique buildings, he mentioned. Recently, the district’s follow has been to lease not too long ago closed services to social service facilities, personal colleges and constitution colleges.
“That previous Taft constructing is iconic,” McDaniel informed The Oklahoman final month. “I’d say Capitol Hill is identical manner. You’ve received alumni, who’ve gone by each buildings, as they hear this information they’re going to be pondering that very same factor, ‘What’s going to occur to my faculty?’
“I wish to know what they suppose, however I additionally wish to pitch them our imaginative and prescient. This isn’t putting off Capitol Hill. That is merely relocating Capitol Hill to offer youngsters greater, higher alternatives.”
Schooling protection: Document emergency certifications are being issued as Oklahoma faces trainer scarcity
The Oklahoma Metropolis faculty district would spend $15,344,000 to position a regional stadium on the far finish of northwest Oklahoma Metropolis at John Marshall Enterprise Excessive College.
5 district excessive colleges — Frederick A. Douglass, John Marshall, Northwest Classen, Star Spencer Mid-Excessive and U.S. Grant — would achieve 20,000-square-foot versatile areas and athletic facility enhancements.
The perform of every versatile house would differ from faculty to high school, creating room for vocational coaching, science and expertise innovation, performing and visible arts, eSports, and faculty and profession preparation, amongst different choices.
The bond would dedicate $20.6 million for added school rooms at Britton, Kaiser, Nichols Hills and Quail Creek elementary colleges and at Jefferson, Southeast and Webster center colleges.
Essentially the most transformative tasks, like a brand new Capitol Hill Excessive College, would end no sooner than the 2026-27 faculty 12 months.
The 2022 bond can be the primary in six years and the third in 15 years for the college district.
Extra on Ok-12 colleges: Oklahoma academics on discover after “watershed” vote on Tulsa, Mustang HB 1775 violations
Traditionally, the poll field hasn’t been pleasant to the district. Six of 10 bond votes failed from 1980 to 1999.
As a result of the district struggled so mightily to go bonds, the town of Oklahoma Metropolis in 2001 devoted its second MAPS initiative to high school renovations, transportation and expertise.
MAPS for Youngsters in the end spent $700 million, together with $470 million on capital enchancment tasks within the faculty district. Voters permitted the district’s 2001 bond challenge, price $180 million, to accompany the town’s gross sales tax program.
No single funding previously 20 years has exceeded the greenback quantity MAPS for Youngsters poured into Oklahoma Metropolis colleges. The district handed a $248 million bond challenge in 2007 and one other for $180 million in 2016.
In the meantime, voters in Tulsa Public Colleges permitted $1.2 billion throughout three bond points since 2010. Moore Public Colleges invested $589 million over three bond elections, and Edmond Public Colleges invested $476 million with six elections.
The Oklahoma Metropolis faculty district has the bottom bond levy of Oklahoma’s 10 greatest faculty districts, regardless of having the second most college students.
District leaders view 2022 as a possibility to kickstart extra constant bond points in Oklahoma Metropolis, particularly after a four-year interval with out turnover within the superintendent’s workplace or on the head of the college board.
“I encourage everyone to view this as a step in the precise path of funding into our metropolis, into our faculty district and a catalyst that may create an atmosphere the place this isn’t the one once-in-a-lifetime alternative to do that,” board member Meg McElhaney mentioned at a July 11 assembly.
Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers Ok-12 and better training all through the state of Oklahoma. Have a narrative concept for Nuria? She might be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. Assist Nuria’s work and that of different Oklahoman journalists by buying a digital subscription at the moment at subscribe.oklahoman.com.