What you need to know about the School Bond
Posted on 02/26/2021
(SPS) -- On March 2, residents who live within the Sapulpa Public Schools district will have the chance to vote on a $1.6 million Bond issue proposed by the school district.

It’s the first Bond brought by the district since the community passed the $40 million bond issue in 2014 that included renovations to the Middle School, the football stadium, the construction of the Westside Sports Complex, Chromebooks for students and staff, and much more.

If you’re not familiar with School Bonds, they are voter-approved funds that can only be used for school facilities, capital improvements, instructional materials, and transportation. In short, anything that can be used for five years or more. Consumables such as paper, glue, art supplies, etc. cannot be purchased with Bond money. Also, state law mandates that Bond funds are earmarked for one-time costs and not recurring expenses. That is why salaries do not appear on School Bond issues.

The 2021 Bond totals $1,645,000 and includes two propositions. The first will fund school improvements and the second will go toward new transportation.



Proposition 1 includes $1,195,000 in projects.
  • Purchase and install furniture, fixtures, and equipment district-wide to include but not be limited to classroom/library furniture, security upgrades, and HVAC
  • Purchase new band instruments
  • Purchase equipment for Athletics, Cheer, and Ping Pings programs
  • Purchase equipment for Ag program
  • Purchase digital curriculum/textbooks district-wide
  • Purchase and install technology district-wide
  • Repair/replace roofs as needed
Proposition 2 includes $450,000 in new transportation.
  • Additional vehicle with wheelchair lift to accommodate Special Education students
  • Vehicle for Ag program
  • Activity Bus
  • Route Bus
Why two propositions? It’s a simple explanation really. State law requires transportation bonds to be listed separately from school bonds.

Each school in the district will benefit from the passage of the Bond. And based on the average assessed property valuations and taxation over the past three years, there is no projected tax increase.

Polls will be open between 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. If you're unsure about your polling place, log in to the Oklahoma Voter Portal to find out the location.  

Back in 2014, the school district formed a Long Range Facilities Committee to determine the needs of the district for the bond that summer. That committee looked 10 years into the future. The 2021 bond is the second step which helps bridge the gap until a larger bond in 2023 in which we will be looking at refreshing the high school. A task force will be formed for the 2023 bond soon to begin the planning process.