Some of El Paso County’s oldest schools could see facelifts and their educators could get raises in coming years.
Colorado Springs District 11 and Cheyenne Mountain District 12 residents will vote on bond proposals of $775 million and $80 million, respectively, and Hanover District 28 will present a mill-levy override (MLO) that would increase staff compensation.
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Bonds are voter-approved financing for school capital projects, while MLOs cover other operations.
D-11 has pulled off major feats recently, like renovating Palmer High School and Jenkins Middle School, but funding for all 61 campuses isn’t currently available, said Superintendent Michael Gaal.
“And so, as we think of ourselves as the original school district of Colorado Springs … it’s time for us to make sure that we can recapitalize these schools; not just for the current set of students and families, but for the next generation,” he said at a public discussion on May 7, 2025.
Needs were determined through a multiyear process of gathering public feedback. Schools would add air conditioning, security upgrades and renovated education spaces, if the bond were to pass. Current funding could then increase teacher salaries.
Property tax increases would average $264 annually.
In D-12, its bond would make similar investments across its seven schools. One elementary school would be rebuilt, the high school would add an athletic field and all would upgrade roofing, electrical, HVAC and security systems.
The bond intends to equip the schools, some over 70 years old, for sustained operations, D-12 Superintendent David Peak told The Gazette.
“Overall, the focus is less about adding student capacity and more about improving the quality, functionality, safety and long-term usefulness of our learning environments for students,” he said in an email.
District taxes would increase annually by $8.8 million. The property tax rate would remain at 55 mills.
For the county’s southernmost district, D-28’s MLO would generate about $232,000 in funding in the first year, with future amounts determined by four permanent mills, if passed. The funds would only go toward salaries and benefits.
Superintendent Mark McPherson told The Gazette that his district is the lowest paying in the region.
“We’ve felt the effect directly: We’re losing good teachers and support staff to districts that can simply pay more for the same job, and we’re finding it harder to recruit replacements — especially in hard-to-fill areas,” he wrote in an email.
The estimated cost to a $300,000 home in the district is about $6.67 per month.