Kansas school districts are requesting more bond money than the state can provide, marking a historic first.
Many districts are really digging into their needs, which has led some leaders to pause their requests. This puts local votes on hold until at least July 1 of the next fiscal year.
Hutchinson Superintendent Dawn Johnson mentioned that their request for $109.5 million would have pushed the state over its limit. However, other districts might still ask for less before the deadline.
If any schools submit requests under $27 million before June 30, they could get approved. But those exceeding that amount, like Hutchinson, will have to wait until after July 1.
The cap was set by state leaders to prevent budget issues. Jim Porter, a board member, explained that it was necessary due to the roughly 85 districts eligible to submit requests.
He noted that in the past, many districts were passing bond issues without a clear budget, which raised concerns. Now, school bonds are prioritized based on factors like enrollment increases and ADA bathroom needs.
Goddard School District is the only one that met the criteria for significant enrollment growth. With a historic number of requests, not every project will get the green light this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Goddard expects to see an increase of 1,000 students in the next five years, which could double by year ten. Their bond request, not to exceed $196 million, aims to build a sixth elementary school to accommodate this growth.
Dane Baxa, the district’s communication director, emphasized the community’s commitment to creating the best learning environment for students. They’re also looking to expand early learning for at-risk and special education students.
Baxa mentioned that convincing voters is still a work in progress. If everything goes well at the state level, the public vote is set for May 13.
