MILLAGE PROPOSAL

OUR DISTRICT

Fort Smith Public Schools, a premier district where innovation creates excellence, is dedicated to providing an equitable,

challenging educational experience by engaging families and community partners as we prepare students to embrace their roles

in our culturally diverse community and rapidly changing world.

MISSION

We believe that…1. Our diversity is a recognized asset in our schools and in our community.2. All students deserve equitable access to a high-quality education in a safe and

accepting environment structured to foster the learning process.3. All members of our community have value and play a critical role in its success.4. All students have the potential to become productive citizens in our diverse and

rapidly-changing world. 5. The involvement of families is important to the success of students.6. Community involvement in our schools is an essential and highly-valued investment

in our students and our future.7. Embracing change enhances our ability to achieve at our highest potential.8. Educators are the foundation of our school system, and their ongoing professional

development improves teaching and learning.

CORE BELIEFS

District Overview

2Municipalities

2ndLargest City in Arkansas

5thLargest School District

65Square Miles

45Spoken Languages

& Dialects

221Partners in Education

26Campuses serving

Pre-K - 12

• District graduation rate: 85%• Over $10 million in scholarships awarded to FSPS seniors• Career Completion Certifications in 2016-17: 451• Largest Junior ROTC program in the region• Value to students of college credit earned by

Class of 2017: $3,473,712 • Average class size: 20

Our Students

District Enrollment

Pre-K 4%

Elementary 53%

Junior High 21%

High School 22%

14,000+ students

• 1,900 staff members• 1,190 educators • Average Years of Experience: 15• 100% Highly-Qualified• Natasha Shoate, a third-grade teacher at Cavanaugh

Elementary School, was an Arkansas Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalist

• In 2016-2017,108 FSPS teachers had earned the prestigious national Board Certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Twenty-one are in the process of obtaining this certification

• Two principals have earned the prestigious Arkansas Master Principal designation.

Our Staff

• FSPS students earned 473 college-level courses (1,419 college credit hours) through Advanced Placement (AP) Programs

• FSPS students earned 1,497 college credit hours through the district’s concurrent credit partnership with University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS)

• In 2017, 157 students earned college credit through Western Arkansas Technical Center (WATC) partnership with UAFS

• In 2017, 47 students completed over 180 hours of work experience through the district’s internship program

• In 2017, FSPS launched an unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) pilot program that includes participants from all six secondary schools

• Through partnership with ABB, ArcBest, and UAFS, a limited number of FSPS students will complete programs of study in robotics and cybersystems in the workplace

Academic Programs

• Two National Blue Ribbon Schools in the past two years• Woods Elementary (2017)• Euper Lane Elementary (2016)

• Four (4) National Merit Semi-Finalists• ACT scores exceed or are competitive with state averages• Chaffin Quiz Bowl Team: 2017 National Champions• Award-winning fine arts programs• $100,000 grant awarded by Arkansas Career Education

unmanned aerial systems programming in FSPS• $28,000 grant awarded to implement Logistics/Supply Chain

program of study in partnership with ArcBest • FSPS was the only district to have two campuses,

Spradling and Ballman Elementary Schools, selected for the initial year of the Arkansas Professional Learning Communities (PLC) Pilot Program

Points of Pride

Our Finances

NEW 5-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN

Emphasis Areas✓Career Planning✓Equity✓ Instruction✓Learning

Environments/Facilities✓Staffing✓Technology✓Wellness

STRATEGIC GOALS

• Set future priorities for district

• Equitable access

• Well-being/mental health

• Career and college pathways

• Pre-K through 12 education

• Safe, nurturing, welcoming

• Best for students

• Responsible stewardship

• No compromising excellence

• District Maintenance Staff – maintain facilities well

• Many opportunities exist for district efficiency

Facilities | Operations | Transportation | Food Service

• Identified / prioritized entire district needs

• Technology – serves students well, requires updates

• Food Services – upgrades to changing standards to be applied

• District efficiently utilizes all facilities – with limited flexibility – and

currently forces the transfer of 450 students each year

AVERAGE AGE

63YEARS

District Wide Facility Assessment

Collaboratively study and prioritize the district’s most critical needs, outlined in the FSPS Strategic Five Year Plan, and make a thoughtful recommendation and presentation to the Board of Education regarding next steps to implement Vision 2023.

Citizen’s Committee Purpose

FOR THE COMMUNITY BY THE COMMUNITY

OUR PROCESS

41District forms

citizens committee

Committee reviews options & develops

consensusagreement

3 Citizens committee makes proposal to board of education

5Board reaches agreement on proposal andcalls a millage

election

Committee tours facilities & reviews

existing facility conditions and

district operations

2

5 Meetings • 57 People • 900+ Hours

Our Investment

• District Overview• FSPS Demographic Report• Facility Needs Assessment • Financial Capacity and Impact• Campus and Facility Tours• Project Prioritization

The Committee Did Their Homework

Prioritization of Projects & Needs

15 Items reduced from 65

$120 Million reduced from $658 Million

*6.888 Mills reduced from 41.2 Mills

*Committee supports reduction of original proposal amount or scope

1.Reduced interest rate calculation from 4.5% to 4.0%

2.Staffing recommendations removed

3.Ramsey Junior High Secure Entry added

4.Student device 1:1 project cost reduced

5.Wireless networking to support 1:1 removed

Changes to Citizens Committee Proposal

WHAT IS A MILLAGE ELECTION?

Public schools rely on the support of local taxpayers to fund the operations and facilities of the

school district

Similar to homeowners borrowing money in the form of a mortgage, a

school district borrows to finance the design, construction, expansion, and renovations of schools and facilities.

Districts can also seek additional funds for ongoing costs such as

technology replacement.

A millage increase must be approved by voters in a millage

election.

YEARSSINCELASTMILLAGE

31

PROPOSED PROJECTS

EXPAND TECHNOLOGY

CREATE EFFICIENCIES THROUGHOUT DISTRICT

OUR FOCUS

SAFETY &SECURITY

NEW CAREER & TECHNOLOGY

CENTER

INCREASE CLASSROOM

CAPACITY

RENOVATE AGING SCHOOLS

SAFETY & SECURITY

• Access control

• Installation of secure entries

• Exterior and building site lighting

• Alarm upgrades

$5,500,000 INVESTMENT (0.655 MILLS) Additional security features, such as high school tornado shelters, are embedded in school projects; 1/3 of total request is for safety and security.

WHY?✓Protect our most precious assets: our kids and our staff

✓Recommended by the Vision 2023 Action Teams

✓Promote instructional focus

✓1/3 of millage is for safety and security

SAFETY & SECURITY

Remodel school entries

Secure entryways with controlled check-in

✓Recommended by the Vision 2023 Action Teams as a way to improve access to career

planning and development, skills training and technology for all Fort Smith Public

Schools high school students

✓Provides focused education and training in specialty areas

✓Provides additional space for high demand programs

✓Complements partnership with WATC (Western Arkansas Technical Center)

✓Would be aligned with the immediate and future needs of multiple, local industries and

prepare students with skills to enter the workforce upon graduation

NEW CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER (CTC)

WHY?

• Expand career and college offerings for all high school students

• Provide focused and specific specialty labs

• Connection to local business and industry

NEW CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER (CTC)

$13,724,046 INVESTMENT (0.567 MILLS)

✓STATE RECOMMENDED GRADE CONFIGURATION: K-5, 6-8, 9-12✓High instructional priority✓Recommended by three Vision 2023 Action Teams✓Opportunity to reduce forced transfers at elementary schools

NINTH GRADE✓ Improving graduation rate✓ Increasing access to Career Tech and Concurrent Credit opportunities✓ Improved access to access to Advanced Placement classes✓Transcripts begin at 9th Grade✓Early exposure to education and career planning, resources and guidance

SIXTH GRADE✓Access to innovative instructional programs offered in middle schools✓Earlier access to education and career planning, resources and guidance✓Earlier access to fine arts instruction and other skills based programs

INCREASE CLASSROOM CAPACITY

WHY?

9TH GRADE TO HIGH SCHOOL• Adds 1,000 +/- students to

high school population

6TH GRADE TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS• Adds 6th grade students to middle

school population(minimal student # changes)

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL• Removes 925 students (6th grade)

• Opportunity to reduce 450 forced transfers

INCREASE CLASSROOM CAPACITY

The high school will need more capacity for 9th graders

Middle schools already have adequate space to serve 6-8

Space at elementary schools will contribute to the reduction of forced

transfers(currently 450 students)

HIGH SCHOOLS MIDDLE SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

So this means …

• New secure entry and media center

• Two new storm shelters• Kitchen and cafeteria

expansion and renovation • New competition gymnasium • Renovations to existing

spaces • 9th grade center

Southside High School

$43,824,936 INVESTMENT (1.81 MILLS)

• New secure entry • Two new storm shelters• Kitchen and cafeteria

renovations • New competition

gymnasium • Renovations to existing

spaces• 9th grade center

Northside High School

$34,696,035 INVESTMENT (1.432 MILLS)

TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES

WHY? ICON HERE

✓Recommended by the Vision 2023 Action Teams as important means to provide

opportunities to prepare for entry into 21st Century workforce

✓Provide all students with access to world-class electronic resources

✓Provide opportunities for students to use powerful tools to create products that reflect

their learning

✓Provide opportunities to develop digital citizenship

✓Extend learning beyond the school site and school day

Technology

• Student device 1:1 annual replacement cycle

• Provides students in grades 3-12 with take-home devices for homework, research, reading, projects, collaboration and more

$825,000 INVESTMENT (0.569 MILLS) ANNUAL EXPENSE

RENOVATE AGING FACILITIES

WHY? ICON HERE

✓Recommended by the Vision 2023 Action Teams

✓Average age of FSPS facilities is 63 years

✓FSPS energy expenses are $15 higher per student than peer districts (9%)

✓Adapt to evolving instructional programming

✓Eliminate open-concept classrooms at four elementary schools

✓Eliminate open elevated walkway at Darby Junior High

✓Add secure entries and other security features

• Secure entry• Renovations to 2nd and 3rd

floors of existing building, including the enclosure of open-space classrooms and walkways

• Exterior security fencing

Darby Junior High School

$9,664,990 INVESTMENT (0.399 MILLS)

• Secure entry and new office• Renovation of existing

office to instructional space

Ramsey Junior High School

$3,046,588 INVESTMENT (0.126 MILLS)

Elementary School Walls/Doors

$10,365,975 INVESTMENT (0.428 MILLS)

Barling, Woods, Cook and Morrison Elementary Schools

• Internal renovations to construct permanent walls at classrooms

• Improves security• Improves instructional

environment

FINANCIAL IMPACT

Nearly $800,000 Saved

A bond refunding completed in 2017 resulted in $778,751 in savings, which have been used to fund safety enhancements such as student canopies and other one-time expenses.

Revenue Generated Per Mill

District Revenue Generated per Mill # of Mills # Students

Pulaski County $2,508,999 40.7 12,198

Rogers $1,855,514 41.9 15,398

Bentonville $1,853,987 48.5 16,608

Springdale $1,551,776 40.5 21,524

Fayetteville $1,495,418 45.65 9864

Fort Smith $1,449,979 36.5 14,340

FSPS is the lowest in the region

CURRENT

36.50+

PROPOSED INCREASE

5.558

NEW

42.058

PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE

$120.8 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION/RENOVATION &

$825,000 ANNUAL TECHNOLOGY EXPENSE

CREATE EFFICIENCIES THROUGHOUT DISTRICT

EXPAND TECHNOLOGY

SAFETY &SECURITY

NEW CAREER & TECHNOLOGY

CENTER

INCREASE CLASSROOM

CAPACITY

RENOVATE AGING SCHOOLS

Estimated Financial Impact

AVERAGE PROPERTY OWNER

$9.26

Per $100,000 in property value

per month

Millage Proposal by Project

Project Dollar Amount # of Mills

Safety & Security Package & Walls/Doors at Elementary Schools

$15,865,975 .655

Southside High School & Gym $43,824,936 1.81

Northside High School & Gym $34,696,035 1.432

Career & Technology Center $13,724,046 .567

Darby JHS Renovations $9,664,990 .399

Ramsey JHS Renovations $3,046,588 .126

Student Device 1:1 Program $825,000 .569

Total Mills 5.558

Total Construction Projects

$120,822,570

Total Annual 1:1 Program Cost

$825,000

REGISTER TO VOTE BY APRIL 23

ELECTION DAY IS MAY 22

VOTE EARLY MAY 7 - 21

CONNECT WITH USwww.fortsmithschools.org

THANK YOU!