Five new schools will open in August 2012! Read more about the new schools

With the cuts in state funding for public education, changes to the 2008 bond plan had to be made, including moving programs and closing schools. The changes to the 2008 bond plan are reflected within the bond information.
 
In February 2011, the Wichita Public Schools initiated a “pause and study” with the bond issue for improvement projects that already weren't under construction. With the current budget situation, state funding to staff additional classrooms and open new schools has disappeared. Each new bond issue project is studied and modified if needed to meet the school's needs and the district's funding cuts. As the district moves forward with the “pause and study,” Guiding Principles are followed to direct the decisions and how to proceed with future bond projects and their scope:

·         To make sound financial decisions for near term construction costs and long term operating costs

·         FEMA Safe Rooms are a critical component of plan

·         Re-evaluate our class-size reduction criteria

·         Sound feeder patterns to ‘feed’ secondary grade levels

·         Minimize boundary changes required to implement plan

·         Utilization of old spaces/offset by construction of new spaces

·         Solicit and evaluate public opinion and reaction to changes

Learn more about the status of bond issue construction projects planned, and those currently underway.