school bond issue Archives - 91Ƶ /tag/school_bond_issue/ Design - Construction - Operations Fri, 29 May 2026 15:24:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cropped-SCN_favicon-32x32.png school bond issue Archives - 91Ƶ /tag/school_bond_issue/ 32 32 Oregon’s Hillsboro School District Places Capital Bond on November 2026 Ballot /2026/05/29/oregons-hillsboro-school-district-places-capital-bond-on-november-2026-ballot/ Fri, 29 May 2026 15:24:58 +0000 /?p=55021 At its regular session meeting on Tuesday, May 26, Hillsboro School Board members voted unanimously to place the Hillsboro School District’s (HSD) $430 capital construction bond on the November 2026 ballot.

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]]> A 2019 bond funded the replacement of Brookwood Elementary School. | Photo Credit: Hillsboro School District

HILLSBORO, Ore. — At its regular session meeting on Tuesday, May 26, Hillsboro School Board members voted unanimously to place the Hillsboro School District’s (HSD) $430 capital construction bond on the November 2026 ballot.

The approved bond programcontainsprojects for every school and district building across six broad project areas: buildings and systems, safety and security, Career and College Pathways, Extracurriculars, technology and cybersecurity, and support services.

If successful in November, the bond would allow HSD to address aging infrastructure like roofs and HVAC systems, modernize educational settings that engage and prepare students, improve and expand extracurricular spaces like lighted turf fields for year-round student and community use, and enhance safety and security districtwide, among many other priorities.

Capital construction bonds like this one are the only mechanism school districts have for making significant investments in systems and structures. The State School Fund dollarsallocatedto districts each year arereally onlymeant to fund daily operations (primarily staff-related costs) and incidental maintenance and repairs.

By the fall of 2026, taxpayers will have paid off some of HSD’spreviousbonds. This creates an opportunity to fill in the gap with a new bond to generate capital investment money for district projects, while keeping the current tax rate consistent. HSD estimates a repayment rate ofapproximately $1.84per $1000 of assessed property value, which is 18 cents per thousand less than theaverage ofrates paid since the passage of the district’spreviousbond in 2017.

Wherever possible, the district will seek opportunities toleveragepartnerships, incentives, and grants to maximize our bond dollars and make them go further, highlighting HSD’s commitment to good stewardship of the community’s investment.

In a 2019 bond,the district invested heavily in safety and security upgrades at all schools, includingSeismic and roofing upgrades, Playgroundupgradesand Parent/bus drop-off improvements. The bond also supported extensive renovation and repair efforts at the district’s aging schools, focused onHVAC,plumbingand electrical upgrades; remodeling projects; and the replacement of 15 temporary portable classrooms. Efforts to relieve crowded classrooms and plan for growth included the construction of separate gymnasiums at elementary schools that currently share gym and cafeteria spaceas well as the expansion of Evergreen Middle School and Glencoe High Schooland the construction of one new elementary school in North Plains, one new elementary school in South Hillsboro, and replacement of Brookwood Elementary School. The bond also extended tonew technology, flexible classroomfurnitureand the expansion of career and technical education spaces at alldistricthigh schools.

The district has implemented anof all proposed projects.

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]]> SchoolBondFinder Shares An In-Depth Look at the Spring 2026 K-12 Bond Market /2026/05/27/schoolbondfinder-shares-an-in-depth-look-at-the-spring-2026-k-12-bond-market/ Wed, 27 May 2026 15:47:47 +0000 /?p=55008 SchoolBondFinder specializes in tracking K-12 capital project bonds across the nation.

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]]> SchoolBondFinderiscurrently tracking roughly$49billionof opportunities, with many ofthe organization’sWatchlist items having no money attached yet. | Photo Credit (all): SchoolBondFinder

By PetraSucher

SchoolBondFinderspecializes in tracking K-12 capital project bonds across the nation. The platform monitors school district bond initiatives across key stages, providing stakeholders with crucial data on project scope, financing, and voter outcomes. In March,SchoolBondFindershared first-quarter updates and referendum insights for the 2025 and2026 electioncycles.

The research team is actively updatingthe platform with the latest election results with a “boots on the ground” approach. Most updates for referendum votes are reflected within 24 to72 hoursofpassage.

Read more foran in-depth look at April and May results, highlighting essential insights for the 2026 K-12 bond market.

An Overview of April Elections

ForAprila majority of elections occurred on April 7.Approximately80%of the bonds (120 out of 150) passed,whereas30failed. The total value for both passed and failed bonds amounts to$4B.Mostdistricts focused on infrastructure and safety. Missouri and Oklahoma were the most active states this month. Missouri had64bondsand Oklahoma had39bonds.

Key Districts:

Wayzata, Minn.($450,000,000):

  • Scope:New construction of apublicelementaryschool and a middle school,aswellasclassroom and lab additions at the high school,kitchenand cafeteriaexpansions,and gymnasium additions.
  • Status:Passed

Tulsa, Okla.($276,000,000):

  • Scope:Extensive renovationsto an existing public school,including new classrooms, kitchens, ADA compliance upgrades, HVACsystemsand roofing across multiple sites.
  • Status:Passed

Howard-Suamico, Wis.(147,000,000)

  • Scope:New classroom additions and gymnasiums at three elementary schools,plus Career and Technical Educationlabs andperforming-artsspaces at the high school.
  • Status:Passed

Dallas Independent School District Passes $6.2 Billion in Bonds

On May 2, voters approved92of118propositions for a passage rate of78%, which is consistent with national trends. Many Texas school districts had multiple propositions on the ballot. In Texas 10 out of 26 failed, most having to do with athletic propositions.

DallasIndependent School Districtpasseditsbond package worth$6.2 billion, thelargest in Texas history.Proposition Awill fund new construction to replace 26 schools andexpandexisting schools, adding classrooms toeliminateportables.It will alsofund efforts to:

  • Renovateand modernize every campus across the district
  • Remove the district’s 700 remaining portable classrooms
  • Enhance safety and security at all campuses
  • Upgrade school furniture, student technology, and transportation, including new school buses
  • Improve physical education facilities and repair swimming pools

The bond packagewill be broken up intofour propositions to ensure transparency and flexibility. This bond package will leave a generational mark not just for the funding amount, but for the scope of theproject.

Movement in Michigan,Ohioand Montana

There were79propositions on the ballot for May 5, most inMichigan, Ohio, and Montana with a mix of bonds and levies. For reference,a school bond election is a bond issue used by a public school district, typically to finance a building project or other capital project. These measures are placed on the ballot by district school boards to be approved or defeated by the voting public or taxing authority.Alevy is a short-term, local property tax passed by the voters of a school district that generates revenue for the district to fund programs and services that the state does not fund. Levies are used mostly for operational expenditures.

In total,43propositions with a value of$2billionpassedon May 5,whereas36propositions worth$1.6billionfailed. The number of bonds passedrepresentsa passage rate of just 54%, lagging historic national trends.

A recent trendobservedbySchoolBondFinderresearchers this year involves districts requesting earned income tax levies to fund construction projects,either by itself or combined with another funding source like a bond.Researcherstypically see this for operating levies, but districts in the State of Ohio asking for this to accommodate their construction needs is new.Districts mayattemptto attract older voters byutilizingearned income tax levies, as these measures do notimpactthat demographic in the same way increasing property taxes do.There were three earned income tax levies on the ballot this month inOhioand all three failed.

Other May Bond Decisions

Voters considered16total propositions during this election cycle, resulting insixpassing and10failing.Bonds were approved in Mississippi, Massachusetts, Nebraska (2 districts),Minnesotaand West Virginia. With most of the propositions focused on new construction.

  • Passed Amount: Totaling $498,285,000
  • Failed Amount: Totaling $342,648,950

Therewerea total of127propositions that went to voteon May 19. Of those,113passed fora passage rate of88%. The majority of those on the ballot occurred in New York.A total of94bondspassed, totaling over$1billionin New York.

Factors Influencing District Priority Shifts

In addition to the well-known challenges of declining enrollment and district operational difficulties, several other factors are at playschool consolidations,expirationof Cares Act funding, voter resistance to specific measuresand adownward trend in birth rates.These changes suggest districts may be pivoting priorities to better serve local needs and moving away from projects fueled by federal programs.

Key Focus Areas for Passed Bonds

Despite these challenges, passed bonds are still showingstrong supportfor key focus areas, such as specialty areas,HVAC systems, athletic facilities, instructional spaces, and electricalandlighting upgrades.

SchoolBondFinderiscurrently tracking roughly$49billionof opportunities, with many ofthe organization’sWatchlist items having no money attached yet.Researchersare trackingmore than1,726bonds as of May 22.Electionsin June and August are around the corner and will be featured alongsidethe2026 Q2 updates and researcher insightsthis summer.

Petra Sucher is the Marketing Engagement & Analytics Manager for .

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]]> New Partnership with SchoolBondFinder Brings Bond, Referendum Insights to 91Ƶ /2026/03/30/new-partnership-with-schoolbondfinder-brings-bond-referendum-insights-to-school-construction-news/ Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:25:16 +0000 /?p=54841 Recognizing the critical value of connecting readers with bond- and referendum-related insights, 91Ƶ is proud to announce a new partnership withSchoolBondFinderthat will bringSchoolBondFinder’sexpertiseand capital project bond insights to 91Ƶ readers.

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]]> By Petra Sucher

SBF Short LogoAs school districts nationwide grapple with aging infrastructure, evolving educational models and heightened community expectations, K-12 bond measures have become a critical mechanism for funding transformation. Beyond simple capital campaigns, these referendums reflect shifting priorities around safety,flexibilityand long-term facility performance.

Recognizing the critical value of connecting readers with bond- and referendum-related insights, 91Ƶ is proud to announce a new partnership withthat will bringSchoolBondFinder’sexpertiseand capital project bond insights to 91Ƶ readers.SchoolBondFinderprovides a data-driven lens into how districts are planning,proposingand delivering projects—offeringstakeholdersa clearer view of where investment is occurring and how those decisions are shaping the future of learning environments.

The School Bond Finder K-12 Bond Platform

SchoolBondFinderspecializes in tracking K-12 capital project bonds across the nation. Our platform monitors school district bond initiatives across key stages, providing stakeholders with crucial data on project scope, financing, and voter outcomes.

  • Watch List:Districts may be added to this list following initial activities such as a facilities study, demographic study, capital improvement plans review, or a feasibility survey.
  • Proposed List: A bond is moved to this list once a school board officially approves a referendum for a vote.At this point, the vote date, official ballot language, use, and amount arefinalized.
  • Passed/Failed List:Updates on school bond referendum votes—bothpassedandfailed—are typically available on our platform within 24 to72 hoursof the official results being released.

A Recap of 2025 Bonds

As the first quarter of 2026 wrapsupit is important to look back at 2025 for reference. In 2025SchoolBondFindertracked$91Billion worth of bonds. Approximately$69.2billionpassed,whereas$22.7billionfailed. The overall passage rate for 2025 was75%, which aligns with the trendobservedover the last few years. Our research team tracks school bond activity nationwide, with the highest total bond amounts recorded in Texas ($18.4 billion), California ($6.1 billion), Ohio ($3.5 billion), Washington ($3.4 billion), and Pennsylvania ($3.0 billion) in 2025.

Historic Trends

The chart below illustrates spending amounts for both passed and failed referendums over the past eight years. Election years typically show an increase in both the number and total value of bonds proposed, a trend often attributed to higher voter turnout during presidential elections, which can improve referendum passage rates.
The chart illustrates spending amounts for both passed and failed referendums over the past eight years. Election years typically show an increase in both the number and total value of bonds proposed, a trend often attributed to higher voter turnout during presidential elections, which can improve referendum passage rates.

The chart below illustrates spending amounts for both passed and failed referendums over the past eight years. Election years typically show an increase in both the number and total value of bonds proposed, atrend often attributed to higher voter turnout during presidential elections, which can improve referendum passage rates.

An eight-year longitudinal analysis (2018–2025) highlights consistent trends in K-12 bond funding, offering insight into evolving educational priorities. During this period, bond measures mostfrequentlysupported the following project areas:

  • SpecialityAreas
  • Instructional Areas
  • Athletic Facilities
  • HVACSystemsElectricaland Lighting Upgrades
  • Electrical / Lighting Upgrades

Given that most instructional buildings were built before the 1970s, it is no surprise that infrastructure upgrades are a top priority for school districts. Capital improvements continue to be focused on modernizing student learning environments. These spaces include classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and specialized facilities. The goal is student-centered learning, achieved through flexible environments that incorporate mobile furniture, integrated technology, and versatile layouts.

2026 Year to Date – First Quarter

As of March 2026, approximately$6billionin K–12 bonds have been approved.Roughly267bond measures were tracked in the first quarter, resulting in a70%passage rate. Approved bonds were concentrated primarily in specialty areas (iecafeterias, sensory rooms, admin spaces), HVAC systems, and instructional spaces. The top three states (WA, KS, and IL) account for about66%of the total bond amount passed in Q1.

2026 Bond Priorities

TheSchoolBondFinderdatabase is currently tracking a total of1,478bonds scheduled for 2026 and beyond, as of March. Approximately117bonds are scheduled to go to vote throughoutthe month of April, with more elections scheduled in May and June. The combined Proposed and Watch List bondsrepresentapproximately$56 billionin potential opportunity.

K-12 School bonds are currently prioritizing construction, capital improvements, technology upgrades, and security enhancements. Many districts areseekingsmaller, more targeted amounts for referendums, which may be more appealing to taxpayers and could be a more achievable strategy compared to large, multimillion-dollar bonds.

  • Facility Longevity and Maintenance: There is a growing focus on facility longevity and maintenance over expansion. Renovation and repair projects are the most frequent, while new construction and major system/envelope upgradesrepresenthigher-value contracts.
  • Student-Centric Modernization:A significant portionof bond funding targets modernization and expansion of areas directlyimpactingstudent learning and extracurricular activities. This includes projects focused on flexible learning spaces, modern classrooms, and auditorium renovations, showing a high demand for multi-purpose furniture solutions.
  • Infrastructure and Safety: Basic infrastructureremainsa consistent priority. Projects related to safety/security and system/building envelope upgrades, such as HVAC replacement, roof repairs, andsecurityshow a commitment to the health, safety, and long-term goals of school facilities.

More Info and Insights to Come

Looking ahead, the trajectory of K-12 bond fundingsuggests a more strategic, targeted approach to capital investment—one that balances fiscal realities with the urgent need to modernize facilities. As districts continue to prioritize infrastructure resilience, student-centered design and operational efficiency, access totimely, reliable data will remain essential. Platforms likeSchoolBondFinderare critical resources for A/E/C stakeholders,providingthe in-depth insights necessary for better decision-making and efficientutilizationof K-12 funding opportunities.

Watch for quarterly insights fromSchoolBondFinderto learn more about upcoming opportunities.

Petra Sucher is the Marketing Engagement & Analytics Manager with.

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]]> Oxford Library Enters the Digital Age /2015/03/26/oxford-library-enters-the-digital-age/ OXFORD, England — The University of Oxford completed a roughly $120 million (£80 million) renovation of its library in March. The new Weston Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries system, was designed to serve as a space for old books while also bringing the historic facility into the digital age.

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]]> OXFORD, England — The University of Oxford completed a roughly $120 million (£80 million) renovation of its library in March. The new Weston Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries system, was designed to serve as a space for old books while also bringing the historic facility into the digital age.

The renovation project transformed the building once known as the New Bodleian into a multimedia space with an exhibition hall, lecture theater, digital-ready classrooms, conservation and imaging workshops, office space, a café and reading rooms. The facility is made up of six aboveground stories with three underground stacks, reported , and was designed by London-based Wilkinson Eyre Architects.

Richard Ovenden, Bodley’s librarian since 2014, told Harvard Magazine that the main goal of the project was to create “better interactions between manuscript archives, rare books and people.” As such, the library doesn’t look like a traditional library at first glance. Its large atrium greets visitors with the same grand statement that a museum would. A glass-walled circle of stacks floats above the entrance hall, and walls feature two 70-inch Samsung touch-screen displays.

The two exhibition galleries allow visitors to see some of the library’s historic archives, rather than hiding them from view as in the past. For instance, the Treasury will house university treasures such as the Magna Carta and Gutenberg Bible, on the First Folio on semi-permanent display, according to Harvard Magazine. The other exhibition gallery will house special exhibitions.

While visitors are able to interact with these exhibitions, there is a notable division between public and research spaces. Once allowed access, scholars can take advantage of the library’s new reading rooms that open up level by level. This section of the library also incorporates teaching spaces such as the lecture theater and five seminar rooms.

The renovation was partially funded with generous donations from a number of donors. The largest was about $37 million (£25 million) from the Garfield Weston Foundation — hence the name change to Weston Library — which was matched by Oxford University Press. Another about $7.5 million (£5 million) was gifted to the project by Julian Blackwell, president of Blackwell’s and whose Oxford store sits adjacent to the Weston Library site. This additional funding allowed the development of the Blackwell Hall, the library’s new entrance hall.

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