At the Tuesday evening, December 20, 2022, Board of Education meeting, the Board unanimously approved three separate, but related items, that pertain to addressing District facility, capital, and operating needs over the coming years. The three action items are as follows:
- Approval of the 2022 Facilities Master Plan for the District, which is the result of a comprehensive community engagement process that took place over the past 20 months. This planning process culminated with the recommendation of a series of projects to be included in a No Tax Increase Bond issue to be presented to voters on April 4, 2023. A summary of these specific bond projects can be viewed by clicking here. In addition, more information pertaining to the selected projects can be found on the LPS website, which also provides an opportunity to engage with us through the Let's Talk portal.
- The second action item was the approval of the Bond ballot language that would be presented to voters that, if approved in April 2023, would allow the District to move forward with the projects included in the Facility Master Plan. The No-Tax-Increase Bond would authorize the issuance of up to $120 million in bonds to fund nearly $100 million in projects focused on Safety, Security and Accessibility Improvements, Student Learning Enhancements and Increasing Operational Efficiencies across the District. In addition, the Bond would include $20 million that would be utilized to restructure existing debt in order to take advantage of lower interest rates and to free up funds to address pressing District operating needs. The approved No Tax Increase Bond ballot language can be viewed by clicking here.
- A third item involved was the approval of ballot language that would allow the District to transfer 50 cents from the District Debt Service Levy to the District Operating Levy. Much like the Bond ballot item outlined above, this action would not increase the overall District tax levy. The purpose of this transfer would be to dedicate additional dollars to address District operating needs, including funds to be utilized to attract and retain quality faculty and staff. The approved No Tax Increase Levy Transfer ballot language can be viewed by clicking here.
The District will provide additional information on the April 4, 2023, election items in the coming months, which will include a variety of engagement opportunities for our community. Please keep an eye on LPS communication updates beginning in January 2023.
