RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – Election day is less than a month away, and the Rio Rancho School District is asking voters to approve a bond measure. If passed, the bond will give the district more than $80 million for major upgrades.
The Rio Rancho School District is hoping to put more than $13 million towards safety and security upgrades on their campuses. Earlier this year, the district began using a new weapon detection system at Cleveland High School. “We believe that this is the best proactive means in order to actually prevent somebody from actually bringing a weapon on campus,” said RRPS Chief Operating Officer Michael Baker. The district wants to expand that system to Rio Rancho High, but first they say they need to make infrastructure changes to their schools to make the system more reliable.
In order to make those changes, they are asking voters to approve a bond measure that will funnel $80 million to the district over the next four years. Along with security upgrades, they plan to use $5 million on a new building for Independence High School. Right now, they are only able to accommodate 200 students, they say a larger campus will allow them to double that. If voters approve the bond, another $8 million will go toward improvements to the special education programs, including a new facility.
The school district is also hoping the voters will approve the use of money from the Senate Bill 9 Program. These funds would give the district more than $5 million every year for six years. The money will be used for capital improvements, like general maintenance and repairs.
If the bond is passed, the district expects the state to match $32 million. The election is November 7, early voting starts October 21. More a complete list of everything in the bond measure, click here.
