ESPLOST
On November 5, 2019, the voters of Bibb County approved a renewal of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) by more than 75 percent to help continue making improvements to our school district for another 5 years.
This is the fifth ESPLOST campaign by the Bibb County School District, with previous campaigns in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. A study by the Georgia Tech Research Institute found that more than 70 percent of sales tax funds are collected from non-Bibb County residents.
Previous ESPLOST campaigns have allowed the District to fund new schools such as Heard Elementary, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Northwoods Academy, Howard Middle and High, Southwest High, Ingram-Pye Elementary, Central High, Ballard-Hudson Middle, Bruce Elementary, Alexander II Magnet, Rutland Middle and High, Skyview Elementary, Vineville Academy, and more; facility improvements and upgrades; athletic improvements and upgrades; technology infrastructure improvements; security enhancements; and more. An overview of projects funded by ESPLOST campaigns is below.
ESPLOST Goals:
- Although some are school-specific, the majority of the projects will involve and improve facilities and services district wide.
- More efficient buildings, facilities and vehicles mean reduced maintenance and operations costs.
- Security improvements increase safety on our campuses.
- State-of-the-art technology devices and software provide the tools needed for today's learning environments.
- All BCSD students will benefit.
Planned 2021 Projects
- Continued Technology Upgrades
- Security Upgrades (Secure vestibules, cameras and locking systems
- Renovation of Thompson Stadium
- Bus Purchases
- Central Kitchen Equipment
Progress of Projects Funded by the 2016 ESPLOST:
Technology
- Interactive panels in every classroom - Complete
- Classroom camera and audio - Complete
- Computer refresh - Complete
- Wireless access upgraded - Complete
Playgrounds
- New playgrounds installed at all elementary schools - Complete
Security
- Complete
Gym Air Conditioning Projects
- Middle schools - Complete
- Elementary schools - Complete
Furniture Replacement
- Complete
New Facilities
- New Northeast High School - Complete
- New Appling Middle School - Complete
- New Transportation/Campus Police Facility - Complete
- New John R. Lewis Elementary School - Complete
Athletic Improvements
- Thompson Stadium track replacement - Complete
- Ed Defore Sports Complex turf/video board - Complete
Renovations
- District-wide roof improvements - Complete
- Alexander II renovations - Complete
- Hartley and Ingram-Pye HVAC replacement - Complete
- Renovations at Lane, Skyview and Taylor elementary schools - Pending
Auditoriums - Complete
Completed Projects Funded By the 2010 ESPLOST:
Total funds collected: $176,129,000
Five new elementary schools
- ES #1/Heard Elementary - Complete
- ES #2/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary - Complete
- ES #3/Veterans Elementary - Complete
- ES #4/Bloomfield MS-Southfield ES Conversion - Complete
- ES #5 - removed
Renovations
- Porter Elementary - Complete
- Bernd Elementary - Complete
- Riley Elementary - Complete
- Williams Elementary - Complete
- Union Elementary - Complete
- Brookdale Elementary - Complete
- Carter Elementary - Complete
- Westside High/Rutland High Gym AC - Complete
- King Danforth - Replaced with New School
- Miller Middle - Complete
- Appling Middle - On hold pending a replacement facility
- Alexander II - In design
- Burke Elementary - Complete
Maintenance/Warehouse - In progress
Complete: Athletic improvements at six high schools and seven middle schools
Complete: Technology upgrades District-wide
Complete: Transportation Upgrades
Completed Projects Funded By the 2005 ESPLOST:
Total funds collected: $174,969,000
New schools and facilities:
- Northwoods Academy
- Ingram-Pye Elementary
- Ballard-Hudson Middle
- Central High
- Howard High
- Southwest High
Facility Improvements and Upgrades:
- Rutland High Field House
- Thompson Stadium
- Hartley Elementary
- Springdale Elementary
- Appling Middle
- Northeast High
Additional Classrooms and Wings:
- King-Danforth Elementary
- Springdale Elementary
- Miller Middle
- Weaver Middle
Completed Projects Funded By the 2000 ESPLOST:
Total funds collected: $143,754,000
New schools and facilities built:
- Alexander II Magnet
- Bruce Elementary
- Burdell Hunt Magnet
- Heritage Elementary
- Skyview Elementary
- Taylor Elementary
- Vineville Academy
- Bloomfield Middle
- Howard Middle
- Rutland Middle
- Hutchings Career Center
- Rutland High
- Central Kitchen
Facility Improvements and Upgrades:
- Barden Elementary
- Burghard Elementary
- Jones Elementary
- Lane Elementary
- Riley Elementary
- Williams Elementary
- Northeast High
Additional Classrooms and Wings:
- Barden Elementary
- Bernd Elementary
- Burghard Elementary
- Hartley Elementary
- Jones Elementary
- Lane Elementary
- Morgan Elementary
- Porter Elementary
- Rice Elementary
- Riley Elementary
- Skyview Elementary
- Appling Middle