The bond election did not pass. With 678 votes left to count this evening the NO vote total is 3,074 and the YES vote is 1,963.
While this outcome is not what we hoped for, we want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who engaged with this important conversation about our district's future over the past 18 months.
Though we are disappointed, we respect the voice of our community. The need for addressing enrollment growth and facility challenges remains, and your involvement in this process has been invaluable in helping us understand the concerns, priorities, and perspectives across our district.
To Our Stakeholders: Your Voice Matters
From the beginning, we committed to transparency, engagement, and meaningful dialogue with our entire school community. Your participation in town halls, facility tours, community forums, surveys, and informational sessions was extraordinary. Whether you voted yes or no, your engagement demonstrated that our community cares deeply about education and fiscal responsibility.
You asked thoughtful questions about enrollment projections, costs, tax impacts, and alternatives. You shared concerns about timing, finances, and priorities. This feedback is not lost on us. Every question raised and every concern voiced will inform our path forward as we continue working to address our district's facility needs.
Moving Forward
The challenges that prompted this bond proposal have not disappeared. Our enrollment continues to grow, and our facilities won’t adequately hold that growth. What has changed is our understanding of what our community needs to see, hear, and know before supporting a major facility investment.
In the coming weeks and months, we will be listening. We will be analyzing the feedback we received throughout this process. We will be exploring alternatives and refining our approach. And we will continue to be transparent as we work to find solutions that meet both our students' needs and our community's expectations.
The relationships built and trust established over these 18 months remain valuable assets. Your engagement throughout this process—whether you supported or opposed the bond—demonstrated a shared commitment to our district's future. We will need that continued engagement as we chart our next steps.
Thank you for caring enough to engage. Thank you for voting. Thank you for believing that our students deserve our best efforts, even when we disagree on the path forward.
With gratitude and renewed commitment,
Dr. Chip Kay, Superintendent &
Columbus Public Schools Board of Education