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Introduction

The Dysart Unified School District Governing Board called for a November 5, 2024 bond election at the March 14, 2024 board meeting. The bond program would be $127 million to fund safety and security improvements, school bus replacements, land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area, facility renovations at each site, and construction of a new elementary school in the Northwest Asante area.


Bond Committee

The Bond Committee was formed after a September 14, 2023, Governing Board directive to the Superintendent to create a committee to review the district’s needs and determine whether a recommendation would be made to the Governing Board to call for an election. The committee consisted of 30 members who represented all schools, along with general community members. They began meeting in October, 2023, and held six meetings in addition to a district facility tour. Meetings were open to the public and live streamed for the community, with agendas and meeting videos viewable at the link below. The Governing Board vote came after a unanimous community committee recommendation was presented to them.

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Proposed 2024 Bond

The community committee evaluated the district’s needs and identified the following areas that bond funding would support, if approved.


School safety improvements, including lockdown systems
Secure points of entry for safety, including gates, fencing and key card access
Replace aging air conditioning systems
Roof sealing and repairs
Replacing school buses over 15 years old
Construction of a new elementary school in the Northwest Asante area
Land for a new high school in the Northwest Asante area
Magnifying glass icon with money symbol

What is a Bond?

Bonds are similar to loans that are authorized by voters and funded through property taxes. They are used to purchase capital items and/or make capital improvements, such as buildings, furniture, equipment, technology, textbooks, and buses. The funding can only be used to fund projects that have a useful life longer than five years. Bond funding can NOT be used for day-to-day operating expenses like salaries, utilities, and supplies. Bonds are repaid over a set period of time, similar to a mortgage.

How the Proposed Bond is Estimated to Impact Your Taxes

$6.26

Estimated Per Month

$75.13

Estimated Per Year

$197,833

Estimated Average Assessed Home Value

Tax Rate Phase-In Plan

The Dysart community is scheduled to pay off the voter-approved 2006 bond in fiscal year 2028. If approved, the proposed 2024 bond would phase in over three years, so there is no expected tax rate increase associated with the proposed bond. After the 2006 bond is phased out, it is estimated that the community would actually see a decrease in their tax rate. The decrease will occur because the new bonds issued are for less than in 2006 and the population has increased dramatically since then, resulting in an increased number of taxable properties.

Note: Tax rates are an estimate and are influenced by a variety of factors including Maricopa County assessed valuation fluctuations.

How does state funding support capital projects

In Dysart we believe it is our duty to maintain our taxpayer-funded facilities to the best of our ability, and we work very hard to maintain all of our facilities and keep them in good repair utilizing some of our annual funding from the state. For needs beyond those funds, districts must work with the Arizona School Facilities Division (SFD), which gets their funding from the Arizona State general fund appropriations. For school districts that do not have bond funds, this funding is essential, as there would be no other way to fund many of these projects through the regular budget. The SFD has minimum adequacy guidelines that all school districts adhere to for their facilities.

Whenever our facilities have a need, our maintenance department works with our SFD liaison to assess and determine if it meets the requirements to be repaired or replaced through their funding. Dysart has worked with the Arizona School Facilities Division closely, and was approved for various facility maintenance and mechanical repairs and replacement projects totaling $27.9 million over the past two years.

It is also important to note that while the SFD has a legal obligation to pay for the construction of schools, they require a school district, with all schools combined, to exceed the design capacity district-wide by 20% within 3-years of the current year, for the entire elementary or high school grade range. It does not take into account the varied population density across the district or new home building projects that would impact capacity.

District Budget Overview

Dysart created a video to provide the community with an overview of how the district receives and spends money. For more detailed information on budgets and annual financial reports, please click on the link below.

District Budget Info

Important Dates to Remember

Oct. 7

Last Day to Register to Vote

Oct. 9

Early Voting Begins

Oct. 25

Deadline to Request Vote By Mail

Nov. 5

Election Day

Register to Vote Polling Locations

Arguments "For" or "Against"

Any persons wishing to submit an argument "for" or "against" the override question (not to exceed 200 words) may do so by mail or hand delivery of the argument to the Maricopa County School Superintendent's office, County School Superintendent, School Elections Office 4041 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85012. The deadline for submitting arguments “for'' or “against” the Bond to the Maricopa County School Superintendent is August 9, 2024 at 5:00 P.M.
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