Hillsboro is a great place to live and raise a family. The support our community provides to our school district is second to none. While we are proud of our successes, we know that there are challenges ahead, including renewing our operating referendum to ensure
we are able to maintain the quality of educational programs our students and families have come to expect. We must also address facility needs at our schools.
For over a year, the District has been assessing its facilities and prioritizing its most pressing needs. Upon review of the District Facilities Assessment, the Citizens Advisory Committee's (CAC) work and recommendation, as well as the community feedback received from the community survey, the Board adopted two questions to be placed on the November 6 ballot.
QUESTION #1 | OPERATING
In 2015, our community supported an operational referendum that allowed the District to maintain programs and services as well as address building maintenance needs. The funding from that referendum will end next year. If the community supports renewal of the operational referendum, the District will be able to:
»» Maintain school class size (elementary and middle/high school)
»» Continue offering college/AP/elective courses
»» Maintain busing services
The District is proposing a $500,000 referendum for each of the next four years (for a total of $2 million). This amount allow the District to maintain current programs and ensure that our students are both college and career-ready.
QUESTION #1 | FACILITIES
A District Facilities Assessment was completed in August 2017. The assessment evaluated the condition of each school, building capacity, and adequacy of the educational spaces. Upon review of the assessment, the School Board, with support of the CAC, developed a Base Plan that addresses the highest priority of needs at the elementary and middle/high school buildings. Potential improvements would include:
»» Building infrastructure and capital maintenance updates;
»» Replacements and repairs;
»» Remodeling for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance;
»» Site Improvements; and
»» Acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment.
WHY TWO QUESTIONS
There are two types of referendums school districts use; operational and capital referendums:
»» Operational referendums are used to support the day-to-day operations of a district; staffing, programming, students services and maintenance
»» Capital referendums allow a district to issue debt to pay for major facility projects over an extended period of time