K-12 School Bond Programs
Building better schools throughout the Midwest
McCownGordon Construction is a community-oriented builder. Since 1999, we’ve worked with many school districts on school bond programs across the region.
Better schools are an economic engine for a community
A school bond means more than just a new or renovated facility for a community. It means a boost to the local economy…more dollars in community members’ pockets and more jobs available for construction workers, suppliers and ancillary businesses. We recently developed this short video to illustrate to local voters just how far those economic (and non-economic) impacts can reach. We’d love for you to share this with your community to increase support for funding our schools, particularly if your community is holding an upcoming bond election.
Community and economic impact
A school bond means a boost to the local economy. When you choose McCownGordon as your partner in a school bond issue, we prioritize hiring trade partners from your community. This provides more jobs for construction workers, suppliers, and ancillary businesses. Learn more about how a school bond program can create positive economic impacts in your community.
Our business has been community focused at the core since the very beginning.
We want to show our commitment to all stakeholders in the community. Even our associates are provided with the resources they need to go out and make an impact in the ways they’re passionate about. From food and clothing drives to supporting small businesses, McCownGordon Construction stands with our community.
Hiring the right construction manager for your school bond program
The best practice for getting a school bond passed is to engage a construction management team as early as possible. They provide valuable, real-life budget and schedule information based on the master plan and design of the new building or renovations. McCownGordon’s project approach includes incorporating best practices for passing a school bond issue into the process. Our collaborative and transparent process brings the entire team together as early as possible.
What are the benefits of choosing a construction manager with experience in school bond programs? The right construction manager will partner with the district and the architect to ensure the project scope fits within the bond budget. When needed, they can also help the school district navigate the bond process and ensure compliance with state requirements. Plus they can help balance long-term and near-term needs to ensure the district gets the best value for their tax dollars.
reasons to include a cM in a school bond campaign
Benefits of Partnering with McCownGordon
Effective Collaboration
By engaging the entire team from the very beginning, we are able to collaborate effectively and provide higher quality information to the public about your school bond issue.
Efficient Building
Working with the architect and tapping the latest construction technologies means we bring buildings to life with virtual design and construction models that provide the most thorough understanding of how each piece comes together.
Minimized Risk
Through early collaboration with the school district and architect, together we develop a plan that minimizes risk for the school district by providing a proven process, detailed construction plan that delivers value while ensuring the safety, schedule and constructability of high-quality learning environments.
Proven Safety
Safety is a value we hold dear. Being involved in your school bond program early allows us to demonstrate the steps we take to maintain a safe and appropriate environment optimal for student learning.
Partnering with McCownGordon on your K-12 school bond means partnering with a team who has the experience and innovation to develop the safest, most effective school building or renovation project.
The school bond program process
For a bond program to be successful, it’s fundamental to make sure the district understands what it needs from a facilities standpoint, in both a long- and near-term perspective.
Get a facility assessment and make a plan
We often recommend districts undergo a facility assessment and/or develop a master plan before they get started on the actual school bond issue. This means engaging partners—primarily an architect familiar with the process of school facility assessments—to help. In addition, the district administrators need to determine what their community can handle financially.
Understand financial capabilities
Because all bond programs are funded through the taxpayer, it is important to have a good understanding of the district’s tax base capabilities. To run a bond program or sell a bond, a district will need a financial advisor to help them understand what level of bond they could pass.
Acquire a legal team
State law affects bond programs and how districts can move forward with them. There are restrictions about what can be funded and what rate of taxes can be levied upon the property owners within the district.
Facilitating community and student engagement
The success of any school bond program depends on community support. Community meetings, including town halls, meetings with HOAs, and even meetings with Chambers of Commerce frequently help in garnering support for the bond issue. Schools, especially in our close-knit Kansas and Missouri towns and cities, are inextricably linked with their communities. School districts count as major employers and are tasked with the important role of educating the community’s youth.
For a school bond issue to pass on the ballot, the district must listen to the community, engage with them, and get their buy-in on the project. Think of it as a campaign. Making that campaign a success ties back to the importance of assembling the financial, legal, design and construction team early.
As experts about the construction aspect of a bond issue, we know exactly how important it is for us to be involved in those early stages. Being a part of the pre-bond work and the bond itself helps us learn about the community and what is important to it. With that information, we can make sure our construction plan responds to those needs and expectations.
It also gives the district the opportunity to truly understand the project from a facility standpoint. We help clients understand costs associated with construction and the technical realities of adding on or renovating existing school buildings.
Let us help with your school bond program
Our Project Planning Tool makes it easy to get started.
Recent Posts and Projects from our K-12 Team
