The Dysart Unified School District Governing Board called for a November 5, 2024 bond election at the March 14 board meeting. The estimated bond program would be $127 million to fund safety and security improvements, school bus replacements, land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area, facility renovations at each site, and construction of a new elementary school in the Northwest Asante area.

The vote came after a unanimous citizen’s committee recommendation to the Governing Board. The committee was formed after a September 14, 2023, Governing Board directive to the Superintendent to create a committee to review the district’s needs and determine whether a recommendation would be made to the Governing Board to call for an election. The committee consisted of 30 members who represented all schools, along with general community members. They began meeting in October, 2023, and held six meetings in addition to a district facility tour. Meetings were open to the public and live streamed for the community, with agendas and meeting videos viewable at Dysart.org/ElectionCommittee.

Bond funding would support the following, if approved by voters:

• Safety and security improvements (~ $17M): a standardized lockdown system; fence/gate repairs and replacement; building access and safety-related communication systems; automatic gate openers; tactical diagramming and fire panel upgrades and replacement
• School bus replacements (~ $17M): Replacement of 78 buses that were purchased on or before 2008, including 46 regular yellow buses and 32 special education buses.
• Facility renovations at each site (~ $48M): heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; roofing; flooring; building weatherization; freezers and walk-ins; Dysart High School auditorium; high school community restroom facilities for athletics
• Construction of a new elementary school in the Northwest Asante area (~ $35M)
• Land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area (~ $10M)

The last voter approved bond in Dysart was in 2006, for $192 million, however the district only ended up selling bonds for $122 million. The estimated average annual tax rate for the proposed bond authorization is approximately $0.36 cents per $100 of net assessed valuation used for secondary property tax purposes. Read Less

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