2025 Bond Referendum

2025 Referendum Updates

Thank you, Southeast Polk, community!

On November 4, 2025, voters approved a $51 million General Obligation Bond referendum to fund critical district projects. We are incredibly grateful to the nearly 2,000 community members who signed the petition to place this measure on the ballot, and to everyone who voted to support our schools.

This approved funding will allow us to build an additional elementary school, update district playgrounds, and renovate the Junior High, ensuring safe, modern, and supportive learning spaces for all students.

Planning for Our Growth

Each year, the Southeast Polk School Board reviews and updates our long-term facility plan to meet the needs of our rapidly growing district. This proactive process allows us to address enrollment challenges while maintaining the high quality of education and student experience our families expect.

Every project in this plan is prioritized based on safety, functionality, and creating inspiring learning environments for our students and staff, both now and in the future.

Key Improvements At A Glance

New Elementary School ($40 Million)

  • Constructing and equipping the district’s 9th elementary building to handle ongoing enrollment growth. Designed to accommodate roughly 750 students, the school will preserve neighborhood school boundaries, maintain smaller class sizes, and expand dedicated space for preschool and transitional kindergarten programs.

  • Designed in partnership with DLR Group (Architect) and Miron Construction. Target completion is Fall 2029 (opening for the 2029-2030 school year).

Junior High School Renovations ($7 Million)

  • Relocating the main administrative office directly to the building’s main entrance to establish a secure single-point entry vestibule, while expanding and modernizing student commons areas and updating aging instructional infrastructure.

  • Designed in partnership with OPN Architects, with site layout and preliminary designs underway.

District-Wide Playground Upgrades ($3 Million)

  • Comprehensive safety and accessibility updates across all PK-5 elementary facilities. Upgrades replace old surfaces with modern, pour-in-place rubberized turf to create fully inclusive play spaces accessible to all students.

  • Designed in partnership with Neumann Monson Architects, with installation targeted for completion in Fall 2027 for the start of the school year.

(Note: The remaining $1 million of the approved referendum is allocated toward bond issuance and administrative fees.)

We are proud that so many families choose to call Southeast Polk home, and we look forward to bringing these exciting facility updates to life.

Referendum 2025 Success for Every Child

Clay students waiting for first day of school
Delaware students playing on new playground equipment

2025 Referendum Frequently Asked Questions

It provides Southeast Polk with a dedicated funding source to support long-term facility improvements. These projects deliver direct benefits for students by creating safe, modern, and supportive learning spaces.

There will be no increase to the District’s property tax levy rate. Southeast Polk is able to issue these bonds while maintaining the current tax rate of $15.42 per $1,000 of taxable valuation.

Thanks to responsible financial planning, the District’s tax rate has decreased by more than $6.00 per $1,000 of taxable valuation over the past several years. This represents a 29% reduction in the tax rate, allowing the District to pursue these vital facility investments without increasing the school tax levy.

Per Iowa law, school bond referendums require a 60% supermajority approval to pass. Thanks to the support of the Southeast Polk community on November 4, 2025, the measure successfully met this requirement.

The funding is designated for the three main project areas outlined in the facility plan:

  • New Elementary School: $40 million

  • Junior High School Renovations: $7 million

  • District-Wide Playground Upgrades: $3 million

  • Issuance and Administrative Costs: $1 million

Southeast Polk continues to experience significant enrollment growth, with projections estimating an increase of more than 500 students over the next four years, primarily at the elementary level. A new elementary building will expand district capacity, help maintain smaller class sizes, and preserve the neighborhood school model valued by our community. It will also provide the necessary classroom space to support preschool expansion and transitional kindergarten programs.

Timelines vary by project. The Elementary Playground Upgrades are on track with a target completion of Fall 2027, meaning they will be installed and ready for the first day of school that year. The Junior High renovations and the New Elementary School are currently in the architectural design phase, with the new school scheduled to open in the fall of 2029. You can track month-by-month progress on our Facility Progress Updates page.