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Decatur conducting survey on school enrollment

Decatur

Decatur conducting survey on school enrollment

School Board members listen to a presentation by consultant Jeff Prine. during their Feb. 23 meeting. File Photo by Dan Whisenhunt
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School Board members listen to a presentation by consultant Jeff Prine. during their Feb. 23 meeting. File Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

School Board members listen to a presentation by consultant Jeff Prine. during their Feb. 23 meeting. File Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

City Schools of Decatur is asking for the public’s opinion on what to do about increasing student enrollment.

Current City Schools of Decatur enrollment is 4,300 students. CSD consultants project it will be more than 6,000 by 2020. The city is considering what dollar figure to attach to a bond referendum to help pay for school construction. The bond could be placed on the ballot as early as this November, but the details, including how much the system would like to borrow, are still in flux. Cost estimates have ranged as low as $60 million and upwards of $80 million.

The city of Decatur has published a survey on its website.

Among the questions on the survey:

Would you support $60 million in bond financing that meets 89% of the projected low growth enrollment needs and increases property taxes on a $500,000 home by approximately $545 per year?

Would you support $75 million in bond financing that meets 93% of the projected low growth enrollment needs and increases property taxes on a $500,000 home by approximately $680 per year?

Would you support $82 million in bond financing that meets 100% of the projected low growth enrollment needs and increases taxes on a $500,000 home by approximately $744 a year?

The city is also asking for input on possible alternatives to new school construction, like adding more portable classrooms or dividing students into split shifts that would educate different groups of students at different times during the school day.

Some of the feedback the city has received thus far …

Out of 19 responses, 72 percent favor a $60 million bond referendum. The same poll found that 47 percent would support an $82 million bond referendum

According to the survey so far, 82 percent would support more portable classrooms, and 41 percent would support split shifts. According to the poll, 52 percent of respondents have children currently enrolled in City Schools of Decatur.

To add your two cents, click here.

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