Additional Bond Information
The 2024 bond measure seeks to raise $83.14 million for Academy District 20 (D20) capital improvements. The bond will support the rebuilding of Air Academy High School through a matching grant from the Department of Defense (DoD), as well as other district-wide facility upgrades.
Full 2024 Bond Breakdown
The bond would allow D20 to access approximately $191 million in federal funds from the Department of Defense, with the district contributing 20% of the total cost ($49 million) to rebuild Air Academy High School. This presents an opportunity to secure federal funds for a major infrastructure project.
The total amount of the bond measure is $83.14 million. The dollars are allocated as follows:
$49 million for a 20% match to receive an approximate $191 million federal grant to rebuild Air Academy High School, including a Center for Excellence for Career and Technical Education;
$23 million to update District-wide non-charter facilities to improve older schools in the areas of health, safety, and security. Also, proceeds would be used to comply with the mandatory LED lighting requirements contained in Colorado HB23-1161;
$9.48 million for capital improvement projects at The Classical Academy; and
$1.66 million for capital improvement projects at New Summit Charter Academy.
Dollars invested through this measure by the D20 community would be monitored and reported on by the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee, which also monitored the 2016 Bond.
Ballot Issue Arguments
Reasons For
Reason 1: This Bond Measure will utilize an 80% match from the Department of Defense, to rebuild Air Academy High School, at an approximate cost of $240 million. $49 million will fulfill D20’s 20% match.
Reason 2: The tax rate in D20 is set to decrease in 2025, regardless of the bond outcome. Should the bond pass, the tax rate will decrease slightly less, but taxes will still decrease. Starting in 2025, taxpayers in D20 will see a decrease in tax rate due to a natural step-down in our bond repayments. Regardless of this Bond Measure’s success, taxes will go down.
Reason 3: This Bond Measure will benefit all D20 students and buildings. By rebuilding Air Academy High School, the District will not need to spend $73 million on deferred maintenance to the building.
Reasons Against
Reason 1: The matching dollars and construction process will take time to navigate, meaning a rebuilt high school will not be a fast process, and it will take time for voters to see progress.
Reason 2: If this Bond Measure passes, taxes will not go down as much as they would if the measure fails. Voters can expect a larger reduction if the bond is not approved.
Reason 3: Some programs may require School Choice enrollment into Air Academy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the 2024 Bond language change?
Yes, it changed on Aug. 29. The timing of this change is related to legislation that passed in August at the 2024 Colorado Special Legislative Session called by our Governor. HB24B-1001 includes limits on school district property taxes. The Board of Education voted to increase the total of the 2024 Bond to $83.14 million.
How will Bond dollars be used in the areas of health, safety and security?
Some bond proceeds will be used to complete health, safety, and security projects and comply with the mandatory LED lighting requirements contained in Colorado HB23-1161.
What does this mean and how much money is planned for this part of the bond?
This portion of the bond allocates $23,000,000 for non-charter schools. The money will be used to:
Complete projects related to the physical safety of schools;
Complete projects related to ventilation and dust collection in various middle and high school construction, wood, and clay classrooms;
Complete projects related to auditorium equipment and theatre curtains; and
Replace fluorescent lighting with LED lighting to comply with Colorado law.
For a list of projects broken out by school, visit BoardDocs.
Will Bond dollars go to D20 Charter schools and how will they spend the money?
The Classical Academy (TCA) and New Summit Charter Academy (NSCA) are authorized public schools and as such, are part of Academy District 20. They would receive bond funding.
The student population at TCA is about 13.7% of the total student population in District 20, while the student population at NSCA is about 2.4%. If the bond were to pass, TCA would receive $9,480,000, which represents 11.4% of the $83,140,000 bond total. TCA would use their bond proceeds as follows. At TCA East, gym, classroom, and administrative spaces would be constructed. Additionally, dollars would be spent on LED lighting upgrades at all campuses.
Likewise, if the bond passes, NSCA would receive $1,660,000, which is less than 2% of the $83,140,000 bond total. NSCA would use their proceeds for HVAC projects, window replacements and coverings, carpeting, security cameras, and lighting.
Is ASD20 required to share dollars, and is allocating dollars to charter schools the right thing to do?
ASD20 is not required to share bond dollars with TCA and NSCA, but did so during the previous bond in 2016. This is because TCA and NSCA are public schools within D20, and their students are D20 students.
Were D20 Schools, including charters, required to submit a capital construction plan?
D20 held conversations with charter school leadership beginning in May of 2024 regarding the bond.
The following text is from relevant Colorado Revised Statute 22-30.5-404:
(1)(c) Each school district that is considering submitting any question of contracting bonded indebtedness to the eligible electors of the district at an upcoming election shall invite each charter school chartered by the district to participate in discussions regarding the possible submission of such a question at the earliest possible time but no later than June 1 of the applicable election year, and each school district is encouraged to voluntarily include funding for the capital construction needs of charter schools in the district's questions of contracting bonded indebtedness without requiring a charter school to comply with the capital construction plan submission process set forth in subsection (3) of this section.
Is D20 also working on a project to rebuild Douglass Valley Elementary School?
Separate from the 2024 Bond, District 20 is moving forward to rebuild Douglass Valley Elementary School through the Public Schools on Military Installations program. District 20 is utilizing saved dollars for D20’s matching share.
Will programs such as the Center for Excellence in Career and Technical Education at AAHS be available to all students?
Yes, depending upon the program, students could remain enrolled in their neighborhood school and attend programming at the Center for Excellence at Air Academy High School.
Buses will be available at each high school to provide transportation for programming at the Center for Excellence at Air Academy High School.
How much funding did The Classical Academy and New Summit Charter Academy receive from the 2016 bond that passed in District 20?
The Classical Academy received $21,050,000 in bond proceeds. New Summit Charter Academy was not in existence at the time, so it did not receive dollars from the 2016 Bond.
What is the current District 20 total tax levy for homeowners? Is it increasing or decreasing?
In 1999, District 20 voters approved a measure that caps the District 20 total tax rate, also called a mill levy, at 60.216 mills. In Tax Year 2020 and multiple years before, the mill levy for District 20 was 60.216 mills.
Since 2020, the Academy District 20 tax rate has decreased each year.
The most recent District 20 levy for Tax Year 2023 was 47.867 mills.
In Tax Year 2024, the District 20 tax rate will decrease again, regardless of the outcome of the Bond measure. It is scheduled to fall by just over three (3) mills, but would fall just over one (1) mill should the Bond pass.
If passed, when will the new Air Academy High School (AAHS) open and will transportation exist to transport students from their schools to participate in the Center for Excellence in Career and Technical Education (CTE)?
At the earliest, the new AAHS campus would open Fall 2028, although the date is preliminary and subject to change.
Transportation is planned for students to access CTE programming at AAHS and remain enrolled in their neighborhood high school.