Tulsa Schools Plans For Next Bond Issue, Releases Survey Results

Tulsa Public Schools announced the results of an online poll that gave parents, teachers and community members a say in what initiatives would be included in a bond issue planned for next year.

TPS says 1,045 people completed the survey, and more than half of those work are or once were school employees. The largest number of respondents are parents of the students.

The survey asked people to rate the importance several issues including a school that would serve families living and working in downtown Tulsa, new elementary schools to meet the needs of the "population explosion" on the city's east side, and additional improvements to technology.

Results of the survey:

• 63.1 percent of respondents favor a centralized STEM facility (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) to be used by students district wide.
• 73.2 percent of respondents support funding technology to provide every student in the district with individual access to a computer, laptop or tablet.
• 52.9 percent of respondents said they would support an elementary school designed to serve downtown residents and the children of commuters who work downtown.
• 64.8 percent said they support the building of new elementary schools in growing parts of the district - named as east Tulsa in an earlier release.
• 76.5 percent said they are in favor of reducing the number of portable facilities, replacing them with permanent classroom additions. The district currently has 140 trailer or modular classrooms.

The TPS school board will consider recommendations at a meeting December 1 and is expected to vote on the bond issue package December 15.

There will be public forums to discuss the bond package from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, December 4 at Memorial Highway School and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 9 at East Central High School.