OKC Public Schools proposed $955 million bond vote

[Dob Hooligan]

I think everyone likes the look of the older schools, but what are we willing to pay for the privilege? Do we want to spend 20% more per pupil in order to heat and cool the building? Sacrifice safety? Reduced internet and electrical capacity? Do the kids even care, or is it just nostalgia for us old people?

[Laramie]

I can't even imagine that scenario. Millions in additions to newer buildings AND basically a fleet of new buses and drivers.

I can say that U.S. Grant, which would be an obvious choice to take some C.H. students, doesn't have the land for additions to the structure. They have portables that were jammed into a small space between existing parts of the new building, because there wasn't room for them.

New Grant High School opens MAPS for Kids: Building has many amenities Architects added classrooms to match increase in students.
By Beth Gollob--Oklahoman, January 9, 2007

"There in the hallways, it used to be so crowded we had to push our way through between classes,” said senior Marisol Meza, 17. "This is nothing compared to the old one.”

During the planning stages about five years ago, officials estimated they would need a school to hold about 1,200 students.

But after construction began in September 2004, plans changed. Enrollment was growing significantly, meaning planners were trying to hit a moving target.

Link: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...n/61827040007/

[Bill Robertson]

I think everyone likes the look of the older schools, but what are we willing to pay for the privilege? Do we want to spend 20% more per pupil in order to heat and cool the building? Sacrifice safety? Reduced internet and electrical capacity? Do the kids even care, or is it just nostalgia for us old people?

Pretty sure it's just us older people. Taft has been mentioned and I'll literally cry if it comes down. Just like I did with the Fairgrounds Speedway. And if it does I'll sneak in and grab a brick like I did from the Speedway.

[Plutonic Panda]

Pretty sure it's just us older people. Taft has been mentioned and I'll literally cry if it comes down. Just like I did with the Fairgrounds Speedway. And if it does I'll sneak in and grab a brick like I did from the Speedway.

I’m 28(not sure if you would call that old or not lol) but I want to see this building stay. Yes I’d support spend more money on preserving it. There are many known benefits to cities in preserving historical buildings.

[corwin1968]

New Grant High School opens MAPS for Kids: Building has many amenities Architects added classrooms to match increase in students.
By Beth Gollob--Oklahoman, January 9, 2007



Link: https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...n/61827040007/

Yeah, back when they were building the new U.S. Grant, they had to add an additional academic wing (the four parts of the building sticking out of the South end are the academic wings, one of which was added during the planning/construction phase). The area of white rectangles under "US Grant Early Head Start" are permanently installed portables that were brought in years after the initial construction of the building. They just finished with the last of the athletic facilities and as can be seen, there is nowhere else to build.

U.S. Grant doesn't have room for the students they have, much less students from Capital Hill. The only real choice I think they have is to send the Capital Hill students somewhere else for the time it takes to demolish C.H.H.S. and build a new one. OKCPS has done it before, but on a smaller scale than a H.S.

[Boop]

I do not think it is going to pass, voters will complain the district is asking for too much money

[SouthSide]

OKCPS has been busing 300 US Grant students to i believe NW Classen because the school is so crowded. Maps 4 Kids ignored the predicted growth in south okc. I fear they are failing to account for it in this bond. Portables at schools for decades is insane.

[Boop]

I see both of them will easily pass so I am wrong

[Teo9969]

I ended up voting yes because even though I don'tlove the proposal, we do need to show commitment to improving OKCPS and education in general in this state. Hopefully they get a lot of pushback on demolishing iconic schools, but ultimately, improvements are genuinely needed yesterday.

[TheTravellers]

I ended up voting yes because even though I don'tlove the proposal, we do need to show commitment to improving OKCPS and education in general in this state. Hopefully they get a lot of pushback on demolishing iconic schools, but ultimately, improvements are genuinely needed yesterday.

[Zuplar]

OKCPS has been busing 300 US Grant students to i believe NW Classen because the school is so crowded. Maps 4 Kids ignored the predicted growth in south okc. I fear they are failing to account for it in this bond. Portables at schools for decades is insane.

They aren’t the only one that uses portables. Mustang schools is also terrible about using portables. I have a friend who went there and just sent her kid to kindergarten and they still have the same portables that were there when she went 20 years earlier! Which is especially sad when you consider all the money that school system spends on extracurricular facilities.

[Bill Robertson]

The portables thing has gone on for years. NWC had them in the mid 70s. I had Algebra 3 and an English class in them.

[bombermwc]

Looks like it passed, and at a pretty high rate too.

[chssooner]

Looks like it passed, and at a pretty high rate too.

By about 3%, since 60% is needed to pass. But yes, it is a great thing. Anything OKC can do to show progress and outward signs to companies that they care about education.

[gjl]

The portables thing has gone on for years. NWC had them in the mid 70s. I had Algebra 3 and an English class in them.

I went to Putnam City Original HS in 71-73. I had many classes in what we called T-Buildings. If you look at the OKC in 1969 image here of 50th and Meridian which shows PCHS, you will see 21 temporary buildings.

[Laramie]

The District did a good job of selling the $955 million package.

Does anyone know if Capitol Hill High School will be able to upgrade and keep the dome shaped gym and make it apart of the new school...

[Plutonic Panda]

VeloCity article: https://www.velocityokc.com/blog/ins...ack=super_blog

[David]

I voted yes on this yesterday and am quite pleased to see the results. I was a bit worried that 60% would be too high of a bar to surpass.

[Laramie]

Just wanted to applaud Mayor David Holt & Oklahoma City Council, Oklahoma County Officials and Oklahoma City Public Schools on what will be a new wave of construction beginning in 2023:

$955 million bonds Oklahoma City Public Schools
$260 million bonds Oklahoma County Jail
$978 million MAPS 4 Initiative

The future planning stages for Oklahoma City Public Schools & Oklahoma County Jail facilities will begin in the next few years.

City of Oklahoma City & NBA Oklahoma City Thunder ownership will begin preliminary talks on a new arena that could lead to funding via bonds or an extension of MAPS 4 or some combination.

Bright future for facilities and a new wave of construction ahead for Oklahoma City. Our city's projected sales tax collections look encouraging for more money to be added to MAPS 4 Initiative.

[TheTravellers]

Pretty sure it's just us older people. Taft has been mentioned and I'll literally cry if it comes down. Just like I did with the Fairgrounds Speedway. And if it does I'll sneak in and grab a brick like I did from the Speedway.

I'm hoping they would get some serious pushback on Taft - the brickwork on it is incredible (and there's *so* much of it), but I don't know how much it would cost to bring it up to normal classroom standards. I haven't ever been by CHHS, but I'd hope it would get pushback too, from the pics. But if they really, truly, madly, deeply can't be fixed and brought up to "code" in order to educate students properly (which is the purpose, after all), then build new, but use old brick/elements from the teardowns.

[HOT ROD]

why do we have such a high threshold for school funding? 60% for school funding bonds??? THAT should be the first thing we change, should be 50%+1.

Also, teacher salaries. The minimum should be $50K and for teachers it shouldn't be taxed. The minimum for para-teachers and assistants should be the current minimum $42K. The support people could make lower (most since they are part time) but TEACHERS and assistants should make real salaries, tax free. THIS would indicate a huge commitment OKC would be making to education. Fixing the building issue (again) also shows commitment - watch those relocations skyrocket if/when such a strategy (removing supermajority bonding, increase teacher salaries, fixing buildings) is implemented and evangelized. .... Bonuses to teachers with improved student scores YoY or teachers who maintain high standards would be the catalyst to a huge migration to OKC in the form of jobs, relocations, and pride in the city.

[chssooner]

why do we have such a high threshold for school funding? 60% for school funding bonds??? THAT should be the first thing we change, should be 50%+1.

Also, teacher salaries. The minimum should be $50K and for teachers it shouldn't be taxed. The minimum for para-teachers and assistants should be the current minimum $42K. The support people could make lower (most since they are part time) but TEACHERS and assistants should make real salaries, tax free. THIS would indicate a huge commitment OKC would be making to education. Fixing the building issue (again) also shows commitment - watch those relocations skyrocket if/when such a strategy (removing supermajority bonding, increase teacher salaries, fixing buildings) is implemented and evangelized. .... Bonuses to teachers with improved student scores YoY or teachers who maintain high standards would be the catalyst to a huge migration to OKC in the form of jobs, relocations, and pride in the city.

To raise any tax in Oklahoma, it is 60%, I believe. And for state tax issues, it's 75%, I believe. It won't ever change here, for reasons.

[TheTravellers]

Reasons - https://okpolicy.org/sq-640-made-oklahoma-ungovernable/

Hopefully this post isn't political enough to be deleted, it's just stupid, thought people might want to know the history if they're wondering.

[Cocaine]

There should certainly be pushback on taft and capitol hill the best option is to renovate them. If the schools are too old then isn't Classen on Villa too old as well? Why isn't classen sas middle school on the list of schools to be demolished? If all these old schools are in such bad shape then lets add classen to the list of schools that need to be torn down. The biggest question is why do kids at classen get a building with character and great facilites while kids at Captiol Hill and possibly taft do not get the same?

As for the new high school I'm pretty sure we all know it'll be built downtown and will most likely be similar to John Rex in the restrictions on the students who get first dibs. Downtown comes first and everyone else who is near downtown comes second. Although I have no idea exactly where in downtown it'll be built though truly a mystery to me.

[SouthSide]

Capitol Hill should not be torn down. It either needs to be renovated or repurposed. A child's educational opportunities and facilities should NOT be based on which side of the river you reside.