BENTONVILLE — Bentonville School District officials plan to use the coming days and months to evaluate why Tuesday’s millage election ended in defeat and what needs to be done to address overcrowding at the high school.
The proposed 6.7-mill increase failed 5,589-4,029. The increase would have garnered $128 million for the district. Much of that — $94 million — would have gone to build a 2,000-student second high school in Centerton.
Brenda Whiteside voted for the increase, but wasn’t surprised it failed.
“Many parents I have talked with thought it could be done more conservatively,” Whiteside said while browsing books at the Bentonville Library on Wednesday.
Jeff Sablotne said he always disagreed with the millage package.
“I’m concerned about the lack of planning from the board members,” Sablotne said. “I think that a board member should have better foresight.”
Randy Lawson, co-chairman of the Kids Come First Committee, said everyone should be respected regarding the millage outcome.
“The patrons have spoken at the ballot box,” Lawson wrote in an email. “Many people on the ‘yes’ committee had concerns about the cost and size of the proposed millage increase, as approved unanimously by the Bentonville School Board.”
“However, the ‘yes’ committee of volunteers was very mindful of the present and future needs of the district and determined doing nothing was not in the best interest of our students; therefore, everyone endeavored selflessly on behalf of the students.”
Superintendent Michael Poore wanted to use Wednesday as a planning day. The second high school would have topped the agenda had the increase passed. Failure meant planning would include adopting a new millage increase package.
All plans were on hold, though.
“We decided to push that back a little bit,” Poore said Wednesday. “We felt we needed to slow down a little bit. There are people upset and wore down right now. We thought taking a step back is a good thing right now.”
It’s time to listen and reflect on what the community has to say, Poore said.
“Everyone has an opinion of what our next step should be, and we really need to listen to them,” Poore said. “I don’t want to get to far ahead or make the community feel like we are shoving something down their throats.”
Travis Riggs, school board member, reiterated Poore’s strategy Wednesday.
“We need time to listen,” Riggs said. “What were the voters really trying to tell us? Was it the $23 million athletic facility? Was it the second high school? What was it?”
Poore and Riggs agree another election will have to come before voters in the near future.
The failure of Tuesday’s millage will push relief for Bentonville High School’s overcrowding issue until at least the 2016-17 school year, Riggs said. That is, if a millage increase passes. Two of the last three Bentonville millage increases have been voted down.
District projection numbers show 4,767 students enrolled at the high school in 2016. That’s 1,467 students more than the school’s 3,300 capacity and 1,167 more than the 3, 600 program capacity. More than 3,900 students are enrolled at the school next year.
Riggs said the district will have to start relieving capacity issues with creative solutions starting in 2014.
“I think in 2014 we will be looking at split schedules,” Riggs said. “That year alone we will be some 900 kids over. The one thing that is for sure is that we have not solved the issue. It might have got voted down, but we haven’t solved any problems. I struggle with that, but we will go back and try to solve those problems.”
Poore also believes 2014 will be a key one for the district.
“We can survive this year,” Poore said. “It is really the next year, the next year and the next. We need a solution that will allow us to survive for three years. One of the things that people don’t understand is that our solutions in some ways get limited by some of the realities of how the state operates.”
Arkansas law requires high school class sizes remain less than 30 students per teacher.
Split schedules and more portable buildings are a possible solution starting in 2014. Portable buildings must be approved by the City Council.
Lawson said the large voter turnout through early voting and election day is evidence the community cares about the School District.
“This is very positive for the future of the Bentonville schools and our students,” Lawson said.
At A Glance
Millage Increase Vote
The Bentonville School District millage increase failed with 5,589 votes (58 percent) against and 4,029 votes (42 percent). All results are unofficial until certified by the county Election Commission.
Source: Staff Report