The Wake County School Board has passed a resolution asking county commissioners to put a $530.7 million school construction bond referendum on the November ballot.
Wake Technical Community College is also expected to ask commissioners to put a $353.2 million construction bond referendum on the fall ballot, the News & Observer reported on April 19. Commissioners are expected to approve both requests since they’re built into the county’s model to pay for capital projects.
County commissioners are expected to approve their budget on June 6.
Schedule of active and planned major projects: Wake County Public Schools System
At their April 19 meeting, school board members emphasized that using bonds (last approved in 2018) will be the least expensive way to pay for construction needs.
“What we’re doing is asking the taxpayers to help us be fiscally responsible and approve this bond so that we can budget responsibly,” said board chairwoman Lindsay Mahaffey.
Wake County Schools staff have set out a rolling, seven-year school construction program totaling $2.6 billion, and the school board approved projects for the next seven years.
Work will include eight major school renovations, four new schools and other projects, after board members revised the original plans.
“We heard that major renovations were important to the board,” said Douglas Congdon, program executive for facilities, design and construction.
Renovations will take place at North Garner Middle; Lockhart Elementary in Knightdale; Briarcliff Elementary in Cary; Brentwood Elementary, Athens Drive High, Washington Elementary and Ligon Middle in Raleigh; and Zebulon Middle.
Meanwhile, the board plans to build four new schools including a small high school in West Cary or Morrisville, an elementary school in Wendell or Zebulon, an elementary school on Poole Road in eastern Raleigh and an elementary school in northeastern Raleigh.