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Lessons
from November's Winners,
Winter 2007 edition of Focus
on Critical Issues (2,811k
 )
Explaining the need, convincing voters to agree - then getting them to vote - is hard work. It deserves recognition.
Campaign work begins months, even years, before the election. It's work that starts with a passion for education and children and ends with hours of dedicated, exhausting service . . . not to mention a few crossed fingers.
This Focus on Critical Issues includes campaign reports from the 21 winners. Although it's impossible to include every step these districts took to win, we hope their stories give you direction and new ideas for your own success.
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| District
(Click the disrict name for their story) |
ADM |
Amount |
%
Yes |
Adrian
School District
- Small community rallied for hometown schools
$3.13 per $1,000 to replace aging K-8
facility. A levy was defeated in 1998 - the
only previous attempt in 30 years. |
251 |
$3,785,000 |
50.8% |
Ashland
School District
- Targeting `yes' voters proves winning strategy
Less than $2 per $1,000 (same as 1996 bond).
50-year plan calls for bonds every 10 years;
the fi rst passed in ‘96. |
2,825 |
$46,800,000 |
55.9% |
Beaverton School District
- You can never do enough outreach to `give kids room to learn'
Local option passed in May 2003; bond in May 2006 failed to meet double majority requirements. |
35,000 |
$195,000,000 |
60.5% |
Bend-LaPine School District
- Not relying solely on "good value and common sense"
Rate of 53 cents per $1,000 matched bonds set to retire. |
14,166 |
$119,000,000 |
59.8% |
Central School District
- District separates issues, listens to the community
Seismic upgrades, renovation of facilities and new buildings to meet a growing student population. |
2,621 |
$13,500,000 |
53.6% |
Corvallis School District
- District's credibility, fiscal responsibility help pass levy on second try
Levy will fund up to 39 additional teachers and reduce class size. Previous attempt in 2004 failed. |
6,567 |
$1.50/$1,000/5 yrs. |
52.9% |
Cove School District
- Careful stewards win community support
Bond funds two new classrooms, energy
efficient windows and ADA upgrades. |
240 |
$475,000 |
57.3% |
Creswell School District
- When the need is obvious: `Let's Build' is the message
“It took nearly two days after the election to
know we’d won.” |
1,180 |
$13,000,000 |
50.2% |
Falls City School District
- Grassroots effort in Falls City wins first-ever levy
Never tried to pass a bond or levy before. |
147 |
$1.25/$1,000/3 yrs. |
50.8% |
Gladstone School District
- Determine plan of action, stay the course to win
Previous bond attempt in May 2005 had
62 percent in favor, but failed due to low voter turnout. |
2,177 |
$39,850,000 |
54.8% |
Glide School District
- Getting the right people connected helps ensure win
Failure of heating system just before election
helped demonstrate the need for the bond. |
759 |
$10,800,000 |
55.3% |
Greater Albany School District
- Turning staff into champions
Cost estimated at $1.74 per $1000. A similar
bond in May 2006 failed to get 50% turnout. |
8,348 |
$55,000,000 |
54.8% |
Hillsboro School District
- Voters pass `final hour' bond
$1.25 per $1,000 assessed value for 20-year bond. |
18,800 |
$169,000,000 |
52.2% |
McMinnville School District
- McMinnville rebounds from May loss to approve a needed levy
Bond attempt in May 2006 failed by 340 votes. |
5,802 |
$62,000,000 |
55.7% |
Medford School District
- "All roads lead to Yes"
Even though early surveys showed close to
60 percent support for the bond measure, it passed by only half a percent. |
12,041 |
$188,980,000 |
50.5% |
North Clackamas School District
- The largest school bond in Oregon history
Local option in May 2004 failed with 44 percent voter support; bond election efforts
spanned 30 months. |
16,438 |
$229,600,000 |
55.2% |
Portland Public Schools
- Portland Schools: relationships spell success
Levy raised approximately $33 million a year;
replaces one-time city/county/lottery funds and rebuilds reserve. |
43,560 |
$1.25/$1,000/5 yrs. |
63.2% |
Sherwood School District
- Unprecedented growth clarifies urgency for voters
Sherwood is the fastest-growing school
district in Oregon with a student population
that increased 235 percent in 10 years. |
3,679 |
$98,000,000 |
60.6% |
Silver Falls School District
- Third time was the charm
$2.74 per $1,000 estimated rate; two previous
attempts at passing bonds failed. |
3,436 |
$47,500,000 |
51.3% |
Springfield School District
- Planning pays off for Springfield
District scaled back bond to keep the current
tax, based on the bond passed 10 years ago. |
10,826 |
$42,745,000 |
56.8% |
St. Paul School District
- Community supports schools again in St. Paul
St. Paul voters have never refused a school
fi nance measure. |
$4,100,000 |
$4,100,000 |
67.3% |
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