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Denver voters will decide on Election Day whether to approve a $975 million bond to benefit Denver Public Schools. It is the largest bond measure in the district’s history.
Measure 4A, as it’s known, would not increase property taxes because of how the school district has scheduled previous debt to come off its books. Denver voters approved bonds in 2020, 2016, 2012, and 2008 to benefit the district, which serves about 90,000 students.
- $240 million to install air conditioning at the 29 Denver schools without it.
- $28 million for safety upgrades, including weapons detection and crisis communications systems and adding secure vestibules to 17 schools.
- $43 million for middle and high school stage upgrades, theater seating, and more.
- $33 million for athletic facilities upgrades, including installing artificial turf, updating high school weight rooms, replacing scoreboards, and adding lighting to athletic fields.
- $51 million for career and technical education classrooms and STEAM spaces. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
- $124 million for new school buses and new school construction, including building a new elementary school in the far northeast Gateway neighborhood and expanding another new campus near the airport to add middle school grades.
- $100 million for upgrades to existing school buildings, including to school-based health clinics, restrooms, cafeterias, and outdoor classrooms.
- $55 million for technology, including new Chromebooks and internet hotspots.
- $301 million for critical maintenance at 154 buildings, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing upgrades, as well as general renovations.
We’ll update this story with election results starting at 7 p.m.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
