Voters in District 2 (North DeSoto Schools) rejected a bond proposal for capital improvements in November 2023. Because of the urgency of overcrowding and growing enrollment, the DeSoto Parish School Board has approved an April 27, 2024 election with a revised plan for voters to consider.
The School Board laid out their concerns for all of the voters. They emphasize that Schools in the North DeSoto area continue to face the challenge of accommodating the community’s rapidly growing population. The area has seen tremendous growth and there is more on the way. More than 143 new addresses have been approved and an additional 12 subdivisions with up to 431 lots are currently in the planning or development phase since January 2023.
NDHS was built in 1980 when the district had 1,028 students, with additional facilities added in subsequent years to accommodate a growing population. The four North DeSoto schools are currently serving more than 2,700 students and the projected enrollment for 2027 adds nearly 1,000 additional students.
Results from a DeSoto Parish School Board survey revealed input from more than 600 residents of District 2, 78% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the DeSoto Parish School Board needs to do something about the growth in the North DeSoto area. The survey also found that 66% of respondents overwhelmingly felt that the bond was too expensive for taxpayers and many indicated they wanted to see a proposal that was less than $100 million, focused on academics, and with more detailed information provided.
The board released a new $85.2 million proposal that would result in a new high school, improvements at the lower elementary, and the ability to reconfigure grade levels across facilities. The April 2024 bond plan is $47.5 million less than the November 2023 plan. Many items that were in the 2023 bond plan have been eliminated in the new proposal to better align with the community’s desire to focus on academics.
The school system says it will use other available funding sources to reduce the impact on taxpayers whenever possible. The district has $13 million on hand that can be used for facility repairs and investments and this money would be used to help with the additions and improvements at the lower elementary school.
The cost to the taxpayer depends on the value of your home. For example, a $300,000 home in District No. 2 (North DeSoto) with a homestead exemption of $75,000 would have an adjusted taxable value of $225,000 which would be assessed at 10%. The increase from a millage of 3.6 to 22 would result in an annual increase of $414 per year or $34.50 per month.
Source: http://www.desotopsb.com