2023 Bond Projects
Proposition 1
Proposition 1 focuses on several projects including safety, technology, maintenance of facilities, improved transportation efficiency, and expansion of student activities. The 2023 bond issue includes a $5 million investment in safety precautions across the district. This includes a perimeter fence and secure vestibules at the high school (view images), LED lighting in parking lots, a dispatch center and body cameras for the BAPS Campus Security team, as well as additional cameras and radios. These safety enhancements would be included in the first two years of the five-year bond, meaning the money would be available for expenditure just months after the bond election.
A significant portion – almost 40% – of the 2023 bond would be spent on technology enhancements including network and infrastructure upgrades (such as switches, firewalls, cabling and access points), desktop and tablet replacement, classroom display and audio upgrades, and other instructional items such as Chromebooks and software for students. This investment is needed to keep up with enrollment growth and also to sustain an appropriate life-cycle replacement plan.
Facility maintenance will also be a key focus of the 2023 bond. The previous two bonds brought numerous new facilities to the district, and the 2023 bond is needed to perform the upkeep necessary to maintain those facilities along with the other aging buildings across the district. Projects included in this question are HVAC replacements and roof repairs as well as furniture, fixture and equipment purchases such as a new freezer for the child nutrition department. There are more 1,900 HVAC units across the district, this bond proposal would include the replacement of 181 HVAC units that have an average age of 26 years. Roofs would be another significant expenditure, and the funds provided in this bond would enable the district to replace 13 of the worst roofs - those rated D and F.
Given the size of the district – which spans 115 square miles – the transportation department runs more than 200 routes two times every day. In order to increase transportation efficiency, the district will create a transportation terminal (view image 1 and image 2) on the southern end of the district. This new facility would include fueling stations, a fleet center, maintenance bays and would enable district leaders to review route times to maximize efficiencies. Reducing time spent on buses and achieving an earlier dismissal time for elementary students are two of the early goals with the addition of this facility.
Student engagement is an indicator of success, and both the Fine Arts and Athletics programs continue to gain enrollment. The two specific items included in the 2023 bond are a renovation of existing spaces at Broken Arrow High School into Fine Arts practice and storage areas, and an updated facility for the high school tennis teams.
The total amount for Proposition 1 of the 2023 Bond Issue is $48 million.
*The projects listed in marketing materials are subject to change based on actual market costs of equipment, installation and construction services. For the specific legal language that cannot change without a vote of the citizens, please refer to the 2023 Bond Resolution.
Proposition 2
Limited only to transportation expenses – per state law – and would include the purchase of new buses. The average age of a BAPS bus is 13 years old, and approval of this question would enable the district to maintain its bus replacement lifecycle.
The total amount for Proposition 2 of the 2023 Bond Issue is $4 million.
*The projects listed in marketing materials are subject to change based on actual market costs of equipment, installation and construction services. For the specific legal language that cannot change without a vote of the citizens, please refer to the 2023 Bond Resolution.
Proposition 3
Proposition 3 is an item that was included on the 2015 bond issue. That bond included a project named “Elementary 17” which has yet to be constructed, because the dollars are not yet available for expenditure. Rather than add another elementary school, which will add to the district’s overall operating costs and require an attendance zone redistricting, Proposition 3 of the 2023 bond issue asked voters to consider adding classroom pods to existing elementary schools.
Classroom pods are groups of 4-6 classrooms that could be added on to an existing building as a new “wing.” The blueprints for the newer elementaries included additional wings that could be added at a later date if the money was available, and the shared spaces (i.e. cafeteria, gymnasium, media center) are scaled for a higher student population than what is currently present. Parking lot expansions and road improvements (Proposition 1) would also need to be made to accommodate more enrollment at these sites. Approval of this question could add classroom pods at the following elementaries:
- Aspen Creek
- Highland Park
- Rosewood
- Timber Ridge
- Creekwood
Adding classrooms using this method will enable the district to maintain low class sizes at the elementary levels. This type of construction can also be completed much faster than building an entirely new elementary. If Proposition 3 is not approved by the voters, “Elementary 17” will be constructed as originally planned using $30 million already approved in 2015. However, due to inflation, the amount originally allocated will only fund a building capable of accommodating 300-400 students, and redistricting will be necessary once the location is selected.
Proposition 3 of the 2023 Bond Issue asked for no new money.
Proposition 4
Proposition 4 is an item that was included on the 2015 bond issue. That bond included the construction of a new pool at the Kirkland Activities Complex. Since the passage of the 2015 bond issue, the City of Broken Arrow has expressed the desire to partner with the district in constructing and operating a pool at Elam Park. While the amount and construction timeline of the pool will not change, in this question voters are being asked to provide the district with the flexibility to build the pool at a location other than the Kirkland Activities Complex.
If this question is approved by the voters, the pool may still be constructed at the Kirkland Activities Complex, but it would not be required to be constructed at that location. The $35 million dollars allocated to the pool is not available until 2025, so this change would not affect the construction timeline or the amount allocated to the project.
Proposition 4 of the 2023 Bond Issue asked for no new money.