Bond News
Ballot initiative 5A, a $490 million bond for the Douglas County School District, passed with 60% of the vote. The funding will improve aging schools, expand Career and Technical Education, build two new elementary schools, expand Sierra Middle School, and enhance safety. A Mill Bond Oversight Committee will ensure funds are spent as promised. The district expresses gratitude for the community's strong support and partnership in improving education for local students.
Douglas County voters appear to favor a $490 million school bond that supporters say would fund more programs, upgrade existing facilities and build schools in newer neighborhoods.
The initial results show the proposal is leading by 18 points, 59.09% to 40.91% with 80.53% of active voters counted within Douglas County. As of Wednesday morning, 218,782 voters in the county voiced their opinions on the near $500 million bond for its school district, the tally shows.
Similar to the bond measure proposed in Denver, the Douglas County School District is asking for $490 million that proponents say would revitalize schools and build new ones in a growing school district.
After two previous attempts to pass school funding in recent years, Douglas County voters seem likely to approve the school district’s $490 million bond proposal to build new schools and address maintenance issues.
Early results show 59% of voters are supporting the bond and 41% are against.
Superintendent Erin Kane told the Douglas County News-Press that she is incredibly grateful to voters and the campaign volunteers.
“I am so grateful for our entire community for shouting loud and clear that they support our schools, our kids, our teachers,” Kane said. “Now, it’s incumbent on us to make sure that we spend this money carefully, exactly as we said we would, transparently and with the oversight of a citizen’s committee.”
![Erin Kane headshot]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1724959210/dcsdk12org/wpefuw6rlhqt11j3nbfd/Screenshot2024-08-29at11823PM.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1724959210/dcsdk12org/wpefuw6rlhqt11j3nbfd/Screenshot2024-08-29at11823PM.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1724959210/dcsdk12org/wpefuw6rlhqt11j3nbfd/Screenshot2024-08-29at11823PM.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1724959210/dcsdk12org/wpefuw6rlhqt11j3nbfd/Screenshot2024-08-29at11823PM.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1724959210/dcsdk12org/wpefuw6rlhqt11j3nbfd/Screenshot2024-08-29at11823PM.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1724959210/dcsdk12org/wpefuw6rlhqt11j3nbfd/Screenshot2024-08-29at11823PM.png","width":1995}])
The Douglas County School Board has voted to refer a $490 million bond to voters in November to address the urgent need for new schools due to rapid population growth. The bond aims to fund the construction of new schools, including in Sterling Ranch and Ridgegate, and address capital maintenance needs. If approved, the bond would not increase taxes but would restructure existing debt, with new schools potentially opening in 2027. Local parents, like Molly Whitehair, have been advocating for such measures due to overcrowding and the lack of neighborhood schools in rapidly growing areas.
The Douglas County School District Board of Education (BOE) has authorized a Bond question for the 2024 ballot. At the August 27 meeting, the BOE unanimously voted 7-0 to place before voters a $490 million Bond.
If the Bond is approved by voters, Douglas County homeowners will not see an increase in current property taxes. The Bond would allow the school district to restructure its debt in order to keep property taxes from increasing