As with all smart investments, there is a responsible cost, and this bond is a community investment in the safety, security, and academic well-being of our young people. The Roseburg School District is 2nd from the bottom tax rate in the entire state among comparable school districts. When the bond is passed, we will still be in the bottom one half of tax rates. Now that is a smart investment we can afford!

The average age of our buildings is 73 years old*. One building constructed in 1909 is still in use, and the original high school building, the Heritage, was built in 1926. Our newest elementary building, Sunnyslope, was built in 1978, making it 44 years old. And although they have been incredibly maintained to an outside observer, they all have electrical, heating, cooling, and plumbing systems inadequacies and failures. Modern safety and security concerns, from safe access of buildings to improved air circulation systems, have risen from contemporary needs our community faces.

Bottom line: our buildings are incredibly OLD for the amount of use they have been subject to. Improvements are necessary!

*Not including the 2 newer high school buildings.

Five of our elementary schools do not have adequate and separate recreational and lunch facilities. This creates a difficult situation in terms of timing and planning for students to get and eat lunches while meeting the physical education requirement and needs of all students in the building.

The Old Main building at RHS has more than surpassed its useful life as an academic building, not to mention it is a potential seismic hazard. The facility, built in 1926, no longer meets modern educational standards or building codes. One only has to tour the building to understand the historical significance lies in the memories and the pictures, not in the building itself, which is why the bond will design a new building to take its place by honoring the historical architecture elements. It’s a smart investment.

In 2019, an independent contractor completed a 153-page facilities analysis, identifying needs of all buildings throughout the school district. In 2021, a Community Bond Development Committee, over the course of several months, toured the buildings, read the 2019 analysis, talked to staff as well as community members, considered costs to taxpayers, and created a bond package that included the most critical improvement needs.

The bond package is not asking for an extravagant package of improvements, but improvements that are smart, affordable and necessary.

In the last 40 years our community has passed 1 bond, and that was 20 years ago, with a $23.9 million bond, which was completed (paid off?) in November 2021. Our District draws NO tax money for facilities improvements. None.

The average age of our buildings is 73 years old! WE DRAW NO TAXES FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS. It is smart, affordable, and necessary to do this NOW!

First and foremost, the district will address safety and security at every school in the district. This includes secure access control, air quality improvement, modernized heating and ventilation systems, and emergency back-up generators. FOR ALL BUILDINGS.

Electrical, roofing, flooring, lighting and plumbing improvements as well as updated playground equipment at elementary schools and middle school track replacements and synthetic turf fields are included in the projects.

The district will replace the old main at RHS with a classroom building that will house the current occupants of the old main, as well as provide additional and upgraded Career and Technical offerings, computer labs, and create updated educational spaces.

The district will also build multipurpose recreational facilities at 5 elementary schools that have combined lunchroom/gym spaces, freeing up the physical education time and offering a shared space for all teachers and staff for multi-grade activities. These buildings will be available for community recreational spaces, as well as community shelters in the event of a catastrophe.

The list includes every building, and is not extravagant, but smart, affordable, and necessary!

No. These projects cannot begin nor will they be finished if the bond measure fails. The district will NOT receive the $5.8 million-dollar matching fund provided by the State of Oregon.

Yet, the district will still have to maintain the buildings as they exist now, and another year of use will be added to them, not to mention higher building costs down the road.

In Oregon, a capital improvement bond is how school districts pay for major construction projects such as building new schools or renovating old ones.

The capital improvement bonds are totally separate from operating budgets for schools, where the State gives each district money for running the schools on a per student basis determined by number of students attending. This money simply pays for the nuts and bolts of education, not the buildings except for yearly maintenance as needed.

Our district must pass a bond to update and renovate our aging buildings. It is the legal process in Oregon.

The Student Success Act funding provided funds for Oregon school districts to invest in early education and K-12 education. These funds are managed in a partnership with the State of Oregon and Roseburg Public Schools, are meant to add teaching staff and increase learning opportunities for students. The Act is concerned with developing health and safety programs, adequate class sizes, improved instructional time, while creating well-rounded education opportunities and support for students and professionals.

The Student Success Act was NOT designed to go toward capital construction as Bond 10-187 is proposing.

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) is a federal government relief program providing school districts with emergency funding to offset the costs incurred by the Covid pandemic. ESSER funds are intended to support districts as they safely reopen as well as to sustain the safe operation of schools.

In addition, the funds may be used to support continuity of learning, additional instructional staff, additional custodial support, technology devices and equipment, virtual school options, nursing support, and supplies and air filters in classrooms.

Yes, the State of Oregon offers matching funds through its Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching Program. Roseburg School District applied for this grant, and were approved for $5,800,000 in matching funds.

In order to receive this $5.8 million-dollars, our voters must vote Yes for the bond. If the bond fails, we lose this grant. In addition, $6,000,000 in ESSER funding will be put toward building improvements.

Yes! If the Bond passes, an independent citizen Bond Oversight Committee will be established to make sure the bond funds are used legally and properly. In addition, the Bond funds are subject to regular, independent audits.

We want to make sure every penny is accounted for, as well as make certain we stretch every dollar for maximum benefit!

The district is committed to addressing every project in the bond proposal. The $5.8 million dollar state grant, as well as ESSER (covid relief) funds in the amount of $6,000,000 will go toward these projects which will help offset any additional costs the district might entail. Every dollar is important, and all projects will be completed

The permanent tax rate for Roseburg Public Schools is the lowest in all other districts in Douglas County as well as most neighboring counties.

Let’s repeat: RPS has the lowest permanent tax rate in Douglas County!

RPS repeatedly earns the high level of assurance from auditors can provide during required annual reviews.