Wichita Public Schools is seeking community input as the school district aims to pitch another bond issue to voters this November.
In a release, the district said it has prepared a list of potential projects and will host community feedback sessions before presenting the bond proposal to school board members.
The come-and-go sessions will let people learn about potential projects, give feedback and use a “Build-a-Bond” tool to craft their own proposal.
“The average age of Wichita Public Schools’ buildings is more than 60 years old,” reads a statement from the school district. “Aging infrastructure and changing city dynamics present unique challenges that can’t be addressed with capital funds.”
The district will hold feedback sessions before and after a tri-governmental meeting on April 20 at the Alvin Morris Administrative Center. Other listening sessions throughout April include:
- Tuesday, April 7, 5 - 7 p.m., Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet, 1243 N. Market.
- Wednesday, April 8, 5 - 7 p.m., Southeast High School, 2641 S. 127th St. E.
- Wednesday, April 15, 5 - 7 p.m., Mueller Elementary, 2500 E. 18th St. N.
- Monday, April 20, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. and 7 - 8 p.m., Alvin Morris Administrative Center, 903 S. Edgemoor.
- Tuesday, April 21, 5 - 7 p.m., Northwest High School, 1220 N. Tyler.
- Wednesday, April 22, 5 - 7 p.m., Chisholm Trail Elementary, 6015 Independence, Park City
- Thursday, April 23, 5 - 7 p.m., Truesdell Middle School, 2463 S. Glenn.
USD 259 voters narrowly rejected a $450 million bond proposal in February of last year.
The announcement of a potential new bond proposal comes after the school board reaffirmed a plan to close four elementary schools in Wichita. Those schools are set to close as soon as the end of next school year, but two of them will be given another year if voters approve the bond in November.
Financial staff in the district say bond funding is needed because special education is chronically underfunded, which puts a strain on the district’s capital outlay budget. The district has over $1 billion in deferred maintenance.
But some voters who protested recent school closures have told KMUW they won’t support a bond project while the district is closing schools.
District staff are set to present more information on the potential bond referendum at the Wichita Board of Education meeting on Monday.
The school board is expected to vote on a formal recommendation at the June 1 meeting.
