Wichita school district voters will head to the polls on Nov. 3 to consider a $615 million bond package divided into two separate questions, according to Community Voice Kansas. The first question proposes $407.1 million for school replacements, preservation, heating‑and‑cooling upgrades and a new FutureReady trades center, while keeping the current tax mill levy rate unchanged.
Under Question 1, four schools would be replaced: Truesdell Middle, Black, McLean and Chisholm Trail elementary schools, with Chisholm Trail becoming a K‑8 campus and Cessna Elementary adding a middle‑school wing. The plan also funds a new FutureReady Center for Trades on the East High campus, $20 million each for preservation at East and North high schools, and HVAC improvements at 11 middle schools, five high schools and one FutureReady Center. Traffic improvements are slated for Christa McAuliffe K‑8, Isely K‑8, Seltzer Elementary and the East High trades‑center site.
Question 2 would add $207.9 million for additional projects, including replacement buildings for Coleman Middle and Adams Elementary, and extensive preservation work at West, Heights, South and Northwest high schools. The bond sets aside $4 million for preventative preservation across those four high schools, with individual allocations ranging from $7 million to $11.3 million per school for career‑technical education spaces and other upgrades. The plan also renovates the existing Coleman building, relocates Horace Mann to the former Hadley Middle School, moves Irving into the vacated Horace Mann building, and converts OK Elementary into an early‑childhood center.
The two questions are linked: Question 2 cannot take effect unless Question 1 passes. The district notes that the $407.1 million request would replace payments on the retiring 2008 bond debt with new debt, resulting in a net‑zero increase to the tax mill levy rate. While the rate stays flat, the district warns that overall tax payments could rise due to higher property appraisals and future operating‑expense levies. If the bond fails, the district expects property taxes to drop beginning with the 2028 tax bill, roughly $125 annually for a $200,000 home.
Homeowners would feel the impact of Question 2 directly: a $100,000‑valued home would see an additional $25 per year on its tax bill (about $2.08 monthly), and a $200,000 home would pay roughly $50 extra annually ($4.16 monthly). Over the 20‑year repayment period, those amounts would total about $500 and $1,000 respectively, assuming unchanged property values and tax rates.
What’s next: Voters will receive the ballot on Nov. 3. If Question 1 passes, the district can move forward with the larger set of projects; if both questions pass, the full $615 million package will be funded. If either question fails, the district will need to reassess its capital‑improvement plans and may face school closures slated for 2026‑27 and beyond.
Sources: communityvoiceks.com
