Abstract
Following two-failed school bond issues in 1995 and 1998, one mid-sized rural school district organized an effort that led to two successful school bond elections in 2001 and 2003. The school district’s strategic plan mirrored many of the recommendations for successful bond referendums published in School Bond Success: A Strategy for Building America’s Schools. Findings from this case study, utilizing a Rapid Assessment Process, illustrate many of the reasons why the school district passed two consecutive bond issues with unprecedented community support. Although the findings from this school district may not match the concerns of all communities, it provides readers with a perspective of voters’ beliefs in one rural school district.
Highlights
Introduction and Literature ReviewA significant challenge facing rural school leaders across the United States is the problem of aging school buildings, and for many rural districts a school enrollment that is stagnant or declining
The school district was selected based on this criteria: (a) the school district had deteriorating facilities, three K-5 facilities and one 6-8 facility averaging over 70 years of age, (b) the school district’s K-5 and 6-8 facilities lacked appropriate handicap accessibility, elevators, modern heating/cooling equipment, and adequate classroom space to meet the needs of a 21st century education, and (c) the school district had experienced two failed bond issues in 1995 and 1998
Due to the condition of the school facilities, two failed school bond elections, followed by two successful bond elections, the school district emerged as an ideal case study for the researchers to consider the influences that resulted in the two recent successful bond elections
Summary
A significant challenge facing rural school leaders across the United States is the problem of aging school buildings, and for many rural districts a school enrollment that is stagnant or declining. The conclusions and recommendations contained in this exploratory case study should provide rural school leaders with voter input from one rural school district’s successful effort to overcome this daunting facility problem. A strong determining factor in the condition of a school is the age of the facility. In 1999, the most recent survey conducted by the U.S Department of Education found the average age of public school buildings was forty years and on the average major renovations had occurred over eleven years ago. The average functional age of school buildings in America was sixteen years with 40 percent having a functional age of over fifteen years (Lewis, Snow, Farris, Smerdon, Cronen, Kaplan & Greene, 2000)
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