The Douglas County School District (DCSD) Board of Education recently voted unanimously to place a $490 million Bond question on the November 2024 ballot. This year the Bond, as our only initiative, will appear on the ballot as “5A” (last year the Bond was “5B”).
If approved by voters, Douglas County homeowners would not see an increase in current property taxes. The Bond amount would allow our school district to restructure its debt in order to keep property taxes from increasing while allowing us to invest in our capital infrastructure (taxpayer assets) in a way that is fiscally responsible. The Bond would help us care for our 112 facilities to ensure our staff and students have safe and comfortable learning environments, build schools in fast-growing developments in Douglas County, upgrade safety and security in our schools, and offer additional Career and Technical Education programs.
We are faced with growing challenges in our school district, including capital investment for the future and the need for new schools. And we must ensure that our future students have the same opportunities for success as past students have enjoyed. If approved by voters, here is how the Bond would be used:
Upgrading School Safety and Security
Safety and security priorities rate above all other items covered by taxpayer funding at DCSD. They require constant vigilance, improvement and updates as the district adopts the latest recommendations in campus security and replaces older equipment. The 2024 bond plan, if approved by voters, calls for $10 million to be invested in safety and security upgrades at more than 90 DCSD sites. That includes:
$3.1 million for new and upgraded security equipment
$3 million for radio-communication upgrades, and
$3.9 million to harden building security at every school.
In addition to the upgrades planned for all schools, several individual schools have specific line items for additional upgrades, including additional entrance security, replacing burglar alarm panels, upgrading interior door hardware and improving fire alarm systems.
Updating Aging Schools and Facilities
Creating optimal environments for learning requires keeping school buildings safe and comfortable for students and staff. DCSD’s 2023-2024 Master Capital Plan estimated the district’s capital needs will be $800 million to $920 million over five years. If approved by voters, the DCSD 2024 Bond would allow the district to address $179 million worth of these needs to renew and replace aging equipment such as boilers, air conditioning units, electrical panels, flooring, communication systems, rooftops and more.
Building Additional Career and Technical Education Pathways
The 2024 Bond would be an investment in Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities for students, a demand from our community that is continuing to increase. After the 2023-2024 introduction of Legacy Campus and its learning environments for eight career pathways, DCSD intends to use $25.2 million in 2024 Bond funds to build Phase II of the Legacy Campus project and add six new CTE pathways that would be available to all high school students, if the measure is approved by voters. Four would be related to construction trades: carpentry, electrical, HVAC and plumbing. The other two would focus on advanced manufacturing and electric vehicle/hybrid maintenance and repair.
Bond funds would also allow for the expansion of two existing programs:
adding an automotive program at Highlands Ranch High School, with $9 million for expansion; and
adding cosmetology at Douglas County High School, with $4 million for program growth.
Constructing and expanding neighborhood schools
Some areas of Douglas County are growing very quickly and many of these newer neighborhoods do not have a school nearby. This is creating challenges related to overcrowding at some of our existing schools, as well as a need for more transportation during a nationwide bus driver shortage.
If approved by voters, the DCSD 2024 Bond would fund:
a neighborhood elementary school for the Sterling Ranch/Solstice area ($60 million);
a neighborhood elementary school for the RidgeGate area ($60 million); and
an expansion for Sierra Middle School ($30 million).
It’s important to understand a couple of things about Bonds.
In Colorado, school districts generally have to pass Bond initiatives to build and invest in schools (the State provides no funding for capital construction needs whether that be construction of new schools or capital investments in existing schools).
Population growth DOES NOT pay its own way when it comes to schools. In the state of Colorado, developers are required to provide the land for public schools. However, the construction of the schools are the responsibility of local taxpayers.
Our county supported seven bonds from 1984 to 2006 in order to build neighborhood schools, the last of which was built in 2010. Only one Bond initiative has been passed by Douglas County voters over
the past 18 years, which has put us behind, not only in building new schools, but also in making the necessary investments in our aging buildings to ensure safe and effective learning environments for our students and staff.
Investing in Athletics and Activities
Through extracurricular activities, students develop skills and talents while learning teamwork and leadership. Sports and arts programs also help build community as they bolster students. Throughout DCSD, athletic facilities and auditoriums require repairs and replacement of infrastructure in order to keep our students safe from injury, ensure they can continue to access these incredible programs, showcasing their talents to the entire community. The 2024 bond, if approved by voters, would address needs across the district including $10.4 million for athletic facility upgrades (including turf fields, running tracks and tennis courts) and $1.6 million for auditorium upgrades (including theater and stage equipment, auditorium seating, and sound systems).
Providing Additional Resources for Special Education
DCSD will provide additional opportunities, specially tailored learning spaces and upgraded access to students with special needs if the 2024 bond is approved. This includes:
$5 million for additional center-based programming
$4.7 million to replace special-education school buses
$2.5 million in capital improvements to provide specialized Career and Technical Education opportunities
$2.1 million for Phase III construction at the new Parker Student Support Center
$1 million for special-education/ADA-related improvements at school- and center-based sites
To learn more about how additional funding would benefit our schools and our staff, including how each school would benefit, visit www.dcsdk12.org/funding. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about this Bond initiative!
Erin Kane is the superintendent of the Douglas County School District