Springfield Public Schools voters to decide $189 million bond issue

Springfield voters will be asked April 4 to approve a $189 million bond proposal to make critical school improvements identified by Springfield Public Schools' Facility Master Plan. The Springfield school board voted unanimously Jan. 10 to place the request on the ballot to fund projects which will impact 19 schools and expand space for early childhood education programs.

The decision follows a 12-month process that evaluated all schools and identified critical improvements needed to provide quality learning environments districtwide. Throughout the process, employees, parents and community members provided input through community meetings and online surveys.
The proposal requests a 24-cent increase to the debt-service levy, which would be phased in over two years. The cost to the owner of a home valued at $100,000 would be $23 the first year and $46 annually beginning the second year.

If the bond proposal is approved by voters April 4, the following Phase I projects would be completed over the next six years:

SITE	PROJECT	COST (in millions)
Pershing/Pershing	New Elem/MS	$34.5
Pipkin/Boyd	New Elem/MS	$31.1
Reed/Robberson	New Elem/MS	$31.1
Jarrett/Portland	New Elem/MS	$27.6
Hillcrest	Phase 1	$15
Glendale	Phase 1	$9
Kickapoo	Gymnasium	$8.7
Sunshine	Add/Reno	$7.7
Pleasant View/Pleasant View	Phase 1	$4.8
Jeffries	Renovation	$3.2
Pittman	Renovation	$2.9
Wilder	Renovation	$2.8
Field	Renovation	$2.7
Disney	Renovation	$2.6
Holland	Renovation	$1.3
Early Childhood	Additional classrooms	$4
TOTAL PHASE 1		$189

Once these projects are complete, SPS will seek voter approval for Phase II projects, which could be accomplished without increasing taxes. A timeline for the projects within each phase will be determined after funding has been approved and in consultation with a team of construction professionals who can assist in developing the most efficient and effective sequence of completing the work.

At this time, 77 percent of SPS schools are over 50 years old and 85 percent were determined by building evaluators to be in fair, unsatisfactory or poor condition. At the conclusion of both project phases, all SPS schools will meet good or excellent standards. Schools not identified for significant projects in Phase I or II will continue to be maintained through routine maintenance funded by the district's capital projects budget.

Read more about the Facility Master Plan.