School Bond Success

A Strategy for Building America's Schools

By (author) Carleton R. Holt Foreword by Anne L. Bryant

Publication date:

16 April 2009

Length of book:

252 pages

Publisher

R&L Education

Dimensions:

239x161mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781607091660

Many school buildings across America are falling apart due to age or lack of maintenance. Others are outmoded and do not meet the needs of modern educational programs and curricula. Unfortunately, school administrators and boards of education have found it increasingly difficult to obtain the funding necessary to correct facility problems in their districts. However help is at hand in the third edition of a popular title originally published in 1999. Holt updates the status of school facilities in the U.S. and provides new information on the relationship between school climate and student achievement. New to this edition is a discussion of the importance of technology in school bond issues and construction. The nuts and bolts of securing the funding for facility construction, a component of the building process usually overlooked in training administrators, are clearly outlined in chapters that begin with a look at the problem of aging schools and follow through the planning and project development phases to the bond campaign and election day. Filled with tips, checklists, and insights on the details from experienced school leaders, this is the perfect guide to consult every step on the way to victory.

Chapter 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 America's Aging Schools
Chapter 3 The Preplanning Phase
Chapter 4 The Project Development Phase: Selecting Consultants
Chapter 5 The Project Development Phase:
Chapter 6 Beginning the Campaign: Developing a Marketing
Chapter 7 Campaign Activities
Chapter 8 Bond Election Day
Chapter 9 Developing Special Skills
Chapter 10 Case Study Introduction
Chapter 11 Case Study #1
Chapter 12 Case Study #2
Chapter 13 Case Study #3

I worked in a public school district that has had significant historical challenges in passing bond issues. In the 1990's they failed seven attempts, in 2003 and 2004 they again failed twice. In 2005, I took the position of superintendent of schools, and we were given a structural engineer's report that said we needed to make a change to our building structures immediately. I dug into the practical information shared in School Bond Success and began to work on a plan for the district. We designed the plan, we communicated with the stakeholders, and we were ultimately successful as we now have two new elementary schools, one new middle school, new administrative offices, and a new community/school library. Our 12.56 million-dollar-bond issue passed with 76% approval and over 50% of voter turnout. I am thankful for the strategies and action steps I gained by being a student of "School Bond Success," as students are now learning in safe and educationally appropriate school facilities.