Bond 2023
On November 7, 2023, the TUSD community voted to support a $480 million bond for Tuson Unified School District. The 10-year bond program will renovate aging schools, upgrade security and safety systems and provide every student with state-of-the-art technology.
A community oversight committee will ensure that the district meets all of its commitments to our families and voters as the district implements the largest bond program in its history. The upgrades will ensure that we provide the modern learning spaces that every student deserves.
Tucson Unified serves over 40,000 students across 231 square miles. We route 12,500 students to the school of their choice and to after-school activities, and our fleet travels over 16,000 miles each school day
Now that we have a mandate from our voters, the work begins. Our immediate next steps are as follows:
The bond will fund improvements throughout Tucson Unified, with 90% of it going to projects in every neighborhood school to improve classrooms and support students. The proposed bond projects include:
Repairs and Upgrades to Existing Facilities
- New air conditioning systems and controls
- Replace or repair deteriorating roofs and floors
- Update aging plumbing and restrooms
- Repair fields, ball courts, gyms, and parking areas
- Replace aging furnishing and equipment to support best practices in teaching
- Modernize systems for energy efficiency
Improvements to Classrooms and Learning Spaces
- New and updated science and project labs
- New career and technology labs
- Improved facilities for the fine arts
- Replace portables where permanent capacity is needed
Health, Security, and Safety
- Updated security and safety systems in each school (cameras, lock down systems, fire alarms, fencing, and access control)
- Renovated, well-equipped health offices
Access to Updated Technology
- Access for every student to computers/iPads that fit their learning level
- Upgraded classroom technology and infrastructure to support interactive learning
Student Transportation and Support Vehicles
- Replace old buses and support vehicles
- Provide fuel-efficient, air-conditioned, safe transportation for students and staff.
How did Tucson Unified determine the amount needed for the bond?
Tucson Unified tracks the condition of every building and each major piece of equipment. This allowed each department to identify equipment that was beyond, or approaching the end of, it’s useful life. The bond program was developed by a group of staff, parents, and community members using needs identified by these departments and by principals for the needs at each neighborhood school. The bond includes projects that benefit every school in the district.
How can the community be sure Tucson Unified will use the bond as proposed?
By state law, Tucson Unified is required to allocate the bond money just as it is shown in the ballot question. So, if voters approve the bond, they can be assured that it will be spent just as they approved it to be spent. The law also requires that Tucson Unified hold a public meeting each year to report how bond proceeds have been spent. Beyond that, Tucson Unified has committed to providing an even higher level of oversight than required by law. To ensure that Tucson Unified exceeds all legal requirements and meets all promises made to the voters, the Governing Board established a committee of citizens to oversee bond expenditures. This committee will review every project to recommend specific expenditures to the Governing Board, and they will regularly report progress to the Board and the community.
How will the bond affect property tax rates?
Property taxes are based on the net limited assessed value for taxable property in TUSD. A Tucson Unified homeowner is estimated to pay $68.78 in property taxes for every $100,000 of net limited assessed value.