What is SPLOST?
SPLOST stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. It is a one-cent tax on all consumer goods that must be approved by voters
in a referendum. SPLOST receipts can be used only for school related capital improvements. The current SPLOST in Cobb County expires Dec. 31, 2008.
What will SPLOST III accomplish?
School buildings continue to have maintenance, technology and safety needs. The first 10 years of SPLOST focused on building new schools
and classrooms to address overcrowded conditions that resulted from rapid population growth in Cobb over the last few decades.
Population growth in Cobb has slowed recently. That’s why SPLOST III will add some new classrooms, but is mostly
focused on revitalizing existing school buildings – even replacing some of the oldest buildings – to address maintenance needs that
have developed. More than one third of Cobb school buildings are older than 40 years. Even newer school buildings need new paint, new
flooring, and other revitalization – the result of the wear and tear that occurs from hundreds or thousands of students moving throughout
the buildings day after day. In addition, most technology – such as desktop computers – typically has a lifespan of about five years and
must be replaced. District-wide, that amounts to about 35,000 computers.
What do property taxes fund in the school district?
About 90 percent of the district’s operating budget, which is supported by state funding and local property taxes, goes to pay the
salaries of teachers, administrators, bus drivers, food service employees, custodians, and other staff. The other 10 percent pays
for items such as textbooks and supplies, as well as utilities such as fuel, natural gas, electricity and water. State funding and local
property taxes do not provide substantial funds for regular building maintenance, or for technology enhancements. Prior to SPLOST, the
district issued bonds that had to be paid back over several years with interest by property taxpayers.
Will SPLOST address trailer classrooms?
By the end of summer 2008, the school district will have removed approximately 325 portable classrooms as a result of the SPLOST II
program. That means the district will have cut the number of portables nearly in half from its high mark of about 680 portables
just five years ago. SPLOST III will continue to reduce portable classrooms, while at the same time replacing many older single-wide
portables with brand new double-wide units. Unfortunately, some portables will remain at schools due to space limitations on some
campuses, and because they provide flexibility for schools to address enrollment shifts.
Who provides oversight of the SPLOST program?
The District’s SPLOST Accountability Manager monitors bidding for projects to ensure that design and construction stay within
projected costs, and that projects are completed on time. The district will hire a program manager to direct all projects from
start to finish, including design and construction. In addition, the Board of Education has appointed a panel of local businesspeople –
the Facilities & Technology Review Committee – that meets monthly to review all bids and verify that the SPLOST program is operating
efficiently and maximizing taxpayer dollars. Finally, an outside firm conducts an annual performance audit of the SPLOST program.
SPLOST performance audits are available on the district web site at:
http://www.cobbk12.org/finance/finance.htm
What is planned for my school?
SPLOST III features projects for each of Cobb’s 114 schools. Check with your school principal for a current list of
planned projects, or click here to view projects.
What are the proposed expenditures for SPLOST III?
PROPOSED EXPENDITURES
Facility Improvements
Maintenance / Renovation $225,758,136
Additions / Modifications $213,164,186
New /
Replacement Facilities $101,654,872
Safety and Support $132,309,481
Curriculum / Instruction / Technology $109,770,000
Land $15,000,000
TOTAL PROPOSED EXPENDITURES $797,656,675
New and Replacement Facilities
- Constructing a total of 223 new classrooms with a net increase of 85 at the elementary school level and an increase of 40
classrooms at the high school level.
- Replacing three of the oldest elementary schools: Eastside, Mableton and an undetermined school in Smyrna. The proposal also will add
a new ninth grade center in the West Cobb area, as well as ninth grade center additions at North Cobb and South Cobb high schools
Additions / Modifications
- Adding to existing facilities a total of 179 classrooms with a net total increase of 143 (34 at the elementary school level, 42 at the
middle school level, and 67 at the high school level).
- Providing an additional $14,588,963 for “Undesignated Classrooms” to include the construction of and/or purchasing of classroom space, including
portable classrooms, and for the enhancement of existing portables.
- Constructing major additions/modifications/renovations at the following locations: North Cobb, South Cobb, Campbell, Sprayberry,
and Pope high schools; Garrett, Hightower Trail, McCleskey, Pine Mountain, and Simpson middle schools; Bells Ferry, Sope Creek,
Cheatham Hill, and Nickajack elementary schools.
Maintenance / Renovation
- Maintenance projects including parking lot repaving, additional parking spaces, drainage enhancements, fencing repairs,
landscaping, playground equipment, tennis courts and track resurfacing, reflooring, painting, HVAC, plumbing, fire suppression
for all locations and various electrical upgrades (fire alarm systems, emergency generators, sports lighting, etc).
Curriculum/Instruction/Technology
- Continuing to maintain the existing technology infrastructure, as well as upgrading servers,
switches, data center, phone systems and adding capacity for centralized video distribution.
- Providing computing devices, printers, and copiers for classrooms and schools, sound systems in
the fine arts programs, and graphing calculators for math classes.
Safety and Support
- Continuing to improve school safety by adding access controls, surveillance cameras, security fencing, signage, and traffic controls.
- Providing support functions, including buses, vehicles, equipment, school-level equipment for growth and replacement, renovations for Accessibility
for Disabled, student information system, human resources / payroll system and textbooks for students.
A referendum to extend SPLOST five years was held on Sept. 16, 2008.
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SPLOST III Improvements for individual schools (High School and Feeders)
Allatoona High School
Awtrey, Durham, McClure
Big Shanty, Bullard, Due West, Ford, Frey, Kennesaw, Lewis, Pickett's Mill
Campbell High School
Campbell, Griffin
Argyle, Belmont Hills, Brown, Fair Oaks, Green Acres, King Springs, LaBelle, Nickajack, Norton Park, Teasley
Harrison High School
Durham, Lost Mtn., McClure
Bullard, Due West, Ford, Frey, Kemp, Lewis, Pickett's Mill, Vaughan
Hillgrove High School
Lost Mtn., Lovinggood
Cheatham Hill, Dowell, Due West, Kemp, Still, Vaughan
Kell High School
McCleskey, Palmer
Big Shanty, Blackwell, Chalker, Keheley, Kennesaw, Nicholson, Pitner
Kennesaw Mtn High School
McClure, Pine Mtn.
Bullard, Cheatham Hill, Due West, Frey, Hayes, Lewis
Lassiter High School
Mabry, Simpson
Addison, Davis, Garrison Mill, Kincaid, Mountain View, Rocky Mount, Shallowford Falls
McEachern High School
Cooper, Tapp
Austell P & I, Clarkdale, Compton, Dowell, Hollydale, Powder Springs, Varner
North Cobb High School
Awtrey, Barber, Palmer
Acworth, Baker, Big Shanty, Chalker, Frey, Kennesaw, Lewis, McCall, Pitner
Osborne High School
Campbell, Floyd, Griffin, Smitha
Argyle, Belmont Hills, Birney, Brown, Cheatham Hill, Dowell, Fair Oaks, Green Acres, Hollydale, King Springs,
LaBelle, Mableton, Milford, Nickajack, Norton Park, Russell, Sanders, Teasley
Pebblebrook High School
Garrett, Lindley
Austell P & I, Bryant, Clarkdale, Clay, Harmony Leland, Riverside P & I, Sanders, Sky View
Pope High School
Dodgen, Hightower Trail
East Side, Kincaid, Mt. Bethel, Mountain View, Murdock, Shallowford Falls, Timber Ridge, Tritt
South Cobb High School
Cooper, Floyd, Garrett
Austell P & I, Birney, Bryant, Clarkdale, Hollydale, Mableton, Norton Park, Powder Springs, Russell, Sanders, Sky View
Sprayberry High School
Daniell, McCleskey, Simpson
Addison, Bells Ferry, Blackwell, Chalker, Keheley, Kincaid, Mtn View, Nicholson, Rocky Mount, Sedalia Park, Shallowford Falls
Walton High School
Dickerson, Dodgen
East Side, Kincaid, Mt. Bethel, Murdock, Sope Creek, Timber Ridge
Wheeler High School
East Cobb
Brumby, Eastvalley, Powers Ferry, Sedalia Park, Sope Creek
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