The Carlisle (Ohio) school district is pursuing plans to construct a K-12 building that would replace four aging schools.
The Journal-News reports that the new building is projected to cost about $51 million—the state would cover up 55 percent, or $28.7 million.
To acquire the needed funding for the local share of the project, the Carlisle district is seeking “special needs district” status from the state so that it can exceed its debt limit.
Superintendent Larry Hook says that if the Ohio Department of Education approves the request, the board plans to place a bond issue on the May 2 ballot.
The district tried unsuccessfully to pass a bond issue for a new facility about five years ago.
If the state declines the special needs request, the board will have to trim down the proposed project by $3 million to stay within its borrowing limits.
A successful bond election in May would enable Carlisle to start construction in the fall. The new building would be situated behind the existing Carlisle High School. Once the new building is completed, the district’s four other buildings would be demolished
The district’s oldest building is Chamberlain Middle School, which was built in 1930. Alden Brown Elementary was built in 1956; Bobby Grigsby Intermediate was built in 1963; and Carlisle High School was built in 1972.
