Voters residing in parts of DeSoto Parish will have a chance to vote on November 18 for two separate bond propositions. Districts 1 (Logansport) and 2 (North DeSoto) have questions on the ballot which are aimed at addressing the evolving needs of both communities while continuing to provide exceptional educational experiences for students in a safe and modern environment.
DeSoto Parish Schools continue to perform very well, rising to third in the state of Louisiana in 2022-23 performance scores as well as being one of only 10 school systems in the state with an overall rating of “A.” North DeSoto and Logansport High Schools received “A” letter grades for overall performance and student growth.
In District 1, Logansport High School, the $23 million building bond proposal is focused on safety, security, and modernization of current facilities. The plan proposes a central corridor to provide consistency across schools and a sense of pride and community while providing an increased element of security.
The plan also includes a renovation of the football stadium, creates a new space for the marching band by renovating an existing space, provides significant upgrades to the current gymnasium, and creates new spaces to eliminate the need for mobile classrooms for preschool programs.
In District 2, North DeSoto Schools, the $130 million bond proposal proposes construction of a new North DeSoto High School to provide ample space for learning and accommodate growth. Five-year enrollment projections show that continued growth is expected for the North DeSoto area. Additions were made in 2014 at the upper elementary and middle schools, which are now full.
Current spaces are impacting the school day across District 2 with spaces reaching or over capacity. The current North DeSoto Lower Elementary facility originally served grades K-6 and now houses preK-1. North DeSoto Upper Elementary has grown from four classes per grade level to ten. While other schools in the area have seen a push for lower class sizes at the elementary level, North DeSoto Lower and Upper Elementary Schools cannot have comparable class size decreases because of space constraints.
"This plan is not a band-aid approach,” said Superintendent Clay Corley. “It is a long-term solution so that we don't keep kicking the can down the road and can invest in education into the future with today's dollars instead of waiting for it to become more expensive. We have had to increase capacity and expand schools before, and this plan would address growth for years to come."
While the Bond funds are largely focused on a new high school facility, the impact would be felt across all North DeSoto schools. High school students would have a future-focused learning environment, middle school students would have amazing lab and career spaces by moving into the current high school, elementary students would see smaller class sizes and get more one-on-one time with teachers, and the three- and four-year-old PreK programs would be able to accommodate more young learners instead of having a waitlist.
Residents can use an online tax calculator found on the bond website (www.desotopsb.com/NDBond) to estimate the impact on their taxes if the bond is approved.
Election day is Saturday, November 18, with polls open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Registered voters in each district will be able to participate in the election for their respective proposals.
More information about each plan is available on the district website at www.desotopsb.com.