OKCPS To Ask Voters For $180M Bond

The OKCPS school board voted unanimously Tuesday to put a $180 million bond on the November ballot for repairs and upgrades across the district.

The bond is broken down into three parts for buildings, technology and transportation. In the midst of financial strain, the superintendent said they had no choice.

Superintendent Aurora Lora said despite major overhauls through the MAPS for Kids and YES for Kids initiatives, facilities are starting to show their age.

“It’s been challenging when you send crews out to fix the air conditioning and we think we’ve got it done and then it breaks again the next day,” she said.

The first and largest of three bond questions focuses on all the building and safety repairs, adding up to $106,340,000.

It includes heating and air conditioning ($30,000,000), plumbing ($6,000,000), electrical ($6,000,000), roofing ($25,000,000), safety vestibules ($4,000,000), fine arts equipment ($4,000,000), playgrounds ($4,000,000) and other projects like sidewalk repairs and sports equipment ($27,340,000).

“We’re talking about this as a maintenance bond so that we’re able to keep those in good working condition. No different than a homeowner that has to continually invest in their own home,” said the district’s chief capital projects officer Scott Randall.

The second question brings technology up to speed, costing a total of $54,460,000. 

It would upgrade the overall network infrastructure ($34,449,000) and improve staff technology equipment ($7,059,000), student testing equipment ($2,898,000), student technology equipment like iPad carts ($2,910,000) and computer labs ($3,884,000). Other technology projects like printer and attendance software would be addressed as well ($3,259,600).

The third bond would address transportation with $19,200,000.

It would help replace buses ($13,700,000) and other district vehicles ($5,500,000), as the average age of buses currently is more than 10 years old with an annual mileage of 20,000 miles.

“After a certain number of years you start looking at replacing your vehicles, so we want to get into the life-cycle maintenance type of bond authorization so we are regularly repairing or replacing our buses,” Randall said.

The good news about the bond is that there will be no increase to current property taxes. It will just be a continuation of the MAPS and YES mill levy, which averages at 18 mills per property owner, one of the lowest rates in Oklahoma County. The district does, however, plan to consider an increase when it comes time for new construction.