A Look at Owasso’s $84 Million Bond Issue

By Isaac Worley

Owasso’s famous event has arrived: the district has announced the 2022 bond resolutions. Once the school board approves the proposals, they will be sent to the election board for inclusion on an upcoming ballot. Due to the perceived high cost of the resolution—$84 million—parents and students are certainly wondering how the money will be used.

Kerwin Koerner answers questions at the first bond resolution meeting. Photo by Isaac Worley

A bond resolution allows a school district to generate a specific amount of debt in the form of bonds when approved through a public vote. Bonds seldom increase the tax rate within the district; if the district fails to sell the bonds within the projected timeline, the resolution will simply take longer to complete.

In 2017, the district passed two resolutions totalling $57 million. These bonds funded the construction of Morrow Elementary, the Education Services Center and the West Campus expansion. The 2022 resolution is based on a longer timeline than the 2017 projects, so the annual cost is lower.

The 2022 resolution likely will not include the construction of new campuses, and it will instead focus on renovation and expansion of existing campuses. The largest item on the proposal is construction, because the district seeks to create up to four safe structures to protect students from severe weather. Owasso Public Schools also intends to repair roofs and HVAC systems that need to be updated.

The change that will most directly affect high school students is a planned remodelling of the track stadium. The district’s goal is to include 1500 seats, concessions, restrooms, a press box and storage for the band. The plan also includes upgrades to the Wellness Center training area, new scoreboards for the main gym and new technology for the PAC.

Morrow Elementary, constructed using the 2017 bond resolution. Photo by Owasso Public Schools

The planned investment for educational items is $11.8 million, which will include textbooks, virtual learning tools, testing materials and CPR/AED equipment. The technology department will also see sizable funding that will provide new computers and standardized technology alongside continuing access to various software, such as Powerschool.

When Owasso residents vote on the bond issue, they will see two separate resolutions due to a state law that requires a separate plan for transportation bonds. The district has allocated $4.1 million toward transportation, split across school buses, activity buses and Suburban SUVs.

The rapid growth of the district presents some challenges for administrators, primarily the challenge of finding space for every student. The creation of new safe structures, though not necessarily gyms, will act as an efficacious method to increase the amount of classrooms in strained schools. Under current projections, the high school buildings will provide enough space for the next 10 years. Although some schools are nearing their capacity, expanded elementary schools will prevent the need for new campuses.

While students will not see drastic changes as a result of the bond issue, the school district is working hard to ensure access to high quality education and facilities. The 2022 bond propositions offer funding for various maintenance and revitalization projects without affecting the general fund—the fund from which teacher salaries are paid. Bond resolutions historically have low voter turnout (only 2,022 individuals cast a ballot for the 2017 issue), but Owasso’s efforts to improve the school district should not go unnoticed.