At Monday’s Tulsa Public School Board meeting the public was given a glimpse of the proposed $597.5 million School Bond proposed for 2026.  The School Board will vote next week to approve the proposal for an election in April 2026.

The purpose of school bond elections is to allow schools to raise money through ad valorem taxes by millage. The last Tulsa school bond in Tulsa was passed in 2021.  TPS maintains that this new school bond election would not raise your ad valorem tax because the 2021 bond expires and this will merely replace that bond millage. The last bond issue was for $414 million, but because of the increase in home values the amount of money it will now raise is more. If the bond does not pass, Tulsa ad valorem taxes would be lowered.

There are four proposals that will be on the ballot if approved.

Proposition 1 would provide $192.9 million for learning opportunities and career development.  The breakdown of that is:

  • Post secondary readiness $40.9 M described as classroom modernization, career academies and community partnerships for internships or work study
  • Athletic facility improvements $37.2 M for new gyms, new facilities at high schools, renovation projects
  • Curriculum $28M for literacy and math intervention, digital textbooks, summer programming
  • Language & cultural services      $16.14M for technology and software, curriculum for English learners
  • Fine Arts: $12.8M for new instruments and curriculum, auditorium upgrades
  • Library: $8M for digital databases for research, raising library expenditures from $25 to $35 per student
  • Special education services $6.2 million
  • Early Childhood & Montessori $4.69 M
  • STEM $3.87 M
  • Professional learning $21.5M
  • Uniforms & Equipment  $2.12 M (Sports)
  • Student Health and Wellness $1.86 M for clinic updates and new bullying and behavior reporting technology
  • Athletics technology $1.13 M

 

Proposition 2 is $269.7 million for safe learning environments.  This is mainly for facility updates and renovations.  This would include  School-wide renovations at nine schools (Springdale, Marshall, Hoover, Hamilton, East Central MS, John Hope Franklin, Carver, Owen, Kendall-Whittier) and three district sites (Education Service Center, Enrollment, Maintenance), HVAC/Energy at 40 school sites, roof replacements at 18 sites, kitchens and equipment, drainage, paving and parking lot improvements, furniture, doors and hardware on doors over 20 years old, ADA updates, LED lights, water heaters, window replacements and fencing.

Proposition 3 is $103.7 million for student and staff technology.

  • Devices $55.8M for new laptops, Chromebooks, print services
  • Security & life safety $53.06M for surveillance, carbon monoxide monitors, mass communications, intrusion prevention
  • School, classroom technology $12.5 M for school signage and audio visual systems
  • Cyber security $4.08 M for threat management, detection and response

Proposition 4 is $23.5 M for transportation which would include School and Activity bus replacement for 75 vehicles, servicing the fleet and parts, more vehicles for sports and after school activities, reinstating drivers education, and WiFi on buses, cameras inside and out, and GPS tracking.

This bond package was developed by the Citizen Bond Development Community consisting of 28 district residents over the past year.  TPS also asked for imput from surveys and community input.