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Denver voters will resolve in November whether or not to approve a record-setting $975 million bond measure to learn Denver Public Colleges. The Denver college board voted unanimously Thursday to place the bond query on the November poll.
The bond measure — the biggest DPS has ever requested voters to approve — wouldn’t require a tax enhance for Denver property homeowners due to how the district has structured earlier debt to return off its books, district officers stated. Denver voters beforehand authorised bonds in 2020, 2016, 2012, and 2008.
The $975 million could be spent as follows:
- $240 million to put in air con on the 29 Denver faculties that don’t have it. A few of these would obtain “local weather acutely aware” electrical heating and cooling methods. The district would additionally overview all college buildings with partial air con, which means they may have air con within the places of work however not the lecture rooms or vice versa.
- $28 million for security upgrades. This would come with buying weapons detection and disaster communications methods, and including safe vestibules to 17 faculties. A safe vestibule is a managed entryway with a desk and a transaction window that enables college employees to display screen guests earlier than letting them into the primary a part of the college.
- $43 million for center and highschool stage upgrades, theater seating, and extra. It could embrace $18 million to construct a brand new auditorium on the Paul Sandoval Campus that features Northfield Excessive Faculty and DSST: Conservatory Inexperienced.
- $33 million for athletic amenities upgrades, together with putting in synthetic turf, updating highschool weight rooms, changing scoreboards, and including lighting to athletic fields.
- $51 million for profession and technical training and STEAM areas. STEAM stands for science, know-how, engineering, artwork, and math. Of this quantity, $3 million would pay for “tools for elementary and center college experiences throughout all areas of the district,” in accordance with a district presentation. The remainder of the cash would construct lecture rooms and laboratories on three secondary campuses — within the far northeast, southwest, and southeast — for profession and technical teaching programs equivalent to aerospace engineering, broadcasting, and plant science.
- $124 million for brand new college building and new college buses. This would come with constructing a brand new elementary college within the far northeast Gateway neighborhood and increasing one other new campus close to the airport so as to add center college grades. It could additionally embrace practically $3 million “to help college program motion, consolidation, closure, and different capability wants from 2025 – 2028,” the presentation says.
- $100 million for upgrades to current college buildings. This would come with constructing a brand new school-based well being clinic on the Paul Sandoval Campus and upgrading current clinics. It could additionally embrace upgrading restrooms, cafeterias, and outside lecture rooms.
- $55 million for know-how. This would come with $35.5 million for pupil Chromebooks, hotspots that enable college students to entry the web at dwelling, and extra.
- $301 million for important upkeep at 154 buildings, together with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing upgrades, in addition to normal renovations.
A number of civic organizations, together with some which have at instances been important of DPS or its board, have endorsed the bond measure.
Educate Denver, a coalition of native civic leaders, introduced its endorsement Thursday. Denver Households for Public Colleges, a nonprofit group whose board is made up of native constitution college leaders, introduced its endorsement of the bond final week.
Denver Households for Public Colleges and Keating Analysis launched a ballot final month exhibiting that of 500 probably Denver voters surveyed, 67% stated they’d vote sure on a DPS bond in November, regardless that solely 20% expressed a good view of the college board.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org .
