Wichita Public Schools is looking to rebuild, renovate, and consolidate 25 schools across the district over the next five years. Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld presented the Board of Education with his recommendations for the facility master plan. “The recommendations would occur over the next five years or more,” Bielefeld said. “The vision for new facilities as well as enhancements to current facilities support educational adequacy, equity and efficiency.” Bielefeld is asking members of the district to take a survey online starting on Tuesday to give their thoughts on the proposed plan. He adds the locations of the various rebuilds and consolidations are strictly data-based. “What our consultants have is essentially, kind of a heat map of the districts, you know, footprint, and areas where there are the most students and the most projected students. And that is where we are building the new schools.” But how will this all be paid for? Bielefeld said that one option, down the road, would be to have a $450 million bond issue for voters. However, he adds the bond would not raise taxes. “We feel like we can finance this and lay it out for another this would be a 20 year bond is what we’re proposing. And we could keep the mill rate neutral for that bond because it’s been so long since we’ve passed the last one.”
Source: KAKE – News
