Independence School District voters have a chance to approve or reject a $60 million bond on their April 7 ballots. 

Bond proceeds would pay for remodeling and renovating three elementary schools: Fairmount, Korte and Procter. 

They would also pay for smaller building repairs and improvements in three high schools, four middle schools, 14 other elementary schools, two early education programs and Independence Academy.

A bond allows the district to borrow money for projects and pay it back gradually using property tax revenue. The district says the bond would not raise the tax rate.

“If the bond does pass, we’re going to see great updates that are needed and identified and (continue) to be able to provide the most up-to-date, energy efficient, safe, effective learning environment,” interim Superintendent Cindy Grant said. 

Here’s what you should know before your vote. 

What would the bond cover? 

Fairmount, Korte and Procter elementary schools are the priorities for the bond. All three schools are in the western part of the district. 

According to the district’s informational website, the district would make major renovations at those schools to remodel and reconfigure classrooms, make the buildings safer and more accessible, update major systems such as plumbing and electric, and renovate interior features such as floors, ceilings and fixtures. 

Grant said the Fairmount project would be “one of our biggest undertakings in many years.” 

Part of the school was built in 1924, she said, with an addition in 1950. The district recently converted Fairmount’s auditorium into classrooms to make more space as enrollment boomed in the northwestern part of the district. 

“There’s a lot of amazing history at Fairmount. They’re a strong-knit community,” Grant said. “That is one of the things that we’re going to highlight at Fairmount. We’re going to have a wall that kind of walks us through the history of Fairmount, which is something we’re pretty passionate about and want to pay homage to, because it’s a great community.”

A working list of plans at other schools includes a long series of more limited projects such as remodeling specific classrooms, athletics facilities or other areas, improving the sound system or updating classroom cabinets. 

Some schools only have a single item listed while others have several. 

For example:

• Van Horn High School could see improvements to special education spaces and new turf at Crysler Stadium. 
• Bingham Middle School could see its band and orchestra spaces remodeled, improvements to its science lab stations and improved storage.
• Three Trails Elementary could receive window replacements. 

How were the bond projects chosen? 

Grant said that as part of the district’s strategic plan, about 80 community members including staff, students, board members and parents were involved in groups that toured all of the district’s 30 buildings to identify needs. 

According to its website, the district also did maintenance assessments and held community input sessions during the 2024-25 school year. The team chose the three priority elementary schools “due to their age, layout, and maintenance needs.”

“All projects are designed to extend the lifespan of existing buildings, reduce long-term maintenance costs, and improve the learning environment for students,” the website says. 

What impact would the bond have on students? 

Grant said changes to buildings can facilitate education. 

“We have to have safe, effective learning environments for that learning to take place in,” she said. 

For example, Grant said some school buildings have temporary walls that allow sound to carry from other classrooms. 

“​​We are making those permanent walls,” she said. “That’s going to help reduce sound from other areas, (making a) more quiet learning environment.”

What happens if the bond fails? 

Grant said if the bond fails the district will “keep educating kids to the best of our ability.” 

It would likely reevaluate its budget before determining whether it might be able to pursue specific projects without a bond, Grant said. 

How would the bond affect my taxes? 

The district has said that the bond won’t increase the tax rate. 

“ISD is able to do this because it has aggressively paid down existing debt and refinanced bonds whenever possible,” the bond webpage says, “which now allows us to issue bonds without increasing the tax levy.”

While the bond won’t increase the tax rate, it’s still possible individual home or business owners’ taxes could go up if their property value increases. 

The bond also adds to the overall amount of debt that taxpayers are responsible for repaying and makes it more difficult to reduce the tax rate. 

Where can I find more information? 

The district has a webpage that explains how bonds work and includes the working list of projects that a bond could fund: https://www.isdschools.org/our-district/elections/aprilbond