The proposed bond, if passed, would fund critical projects such as addressing deferred maintenance, building a new elementary school at Three Springs, upgrading safety and security systems, and addressing housing for staff.
The district is committed to transparency, with plans for independent audits and citizen committees to ensure the funds are used as intended. Additionally, the district will provide opportunities for public input to ensure the community is well-informed.
In 2020, the district shared funding from the 4A Bond with local charter schools, enabling Mountain Middle School and Animas High School to build new, state-of-the-art buildings. However, the 2024 bond, if approved, will be focused on the maintenance and needs of the district’s aging facilities at Durango School District’s 11 schools. Mountain and Animas schools are not part of the district.
The district plans to include local charter schools in a partnership for staff housing. While state law only allows the district to build housing for its own staff, the district is seeking ways to partner with other educational entities to maximize housing opportunities for educators.
Over the summer, the district conducted a comprehensive community survey to gather input on potential bond priorities. The survey results indicated that 72% of community members said they would vote yes for the bond. The top concerns for community members included deferred maintenance of aging facilities, the construction of a new school at Three Springs, and staff housing solutions. These priorities have been incorporated into the proposed bond measure.
Several states in the U.S. do not provide direct state funding for public school buildings, leaving the responsibility for financing school construction and maintenance largely to local districts. While Colorado offers some grant programs for school construction, the majority of funding comes from local districts, often through bonds or other local revenue sources. With the 2020 4A Bond, the district spent 65 percent of the funds to employ local vendors, which supported local businesses and the local economy.
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