Skip To Main Content

Mobile CTA

header navs

CTA

Beaufort County voters approve $439 million school bond referendum

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 7, 2023

BEAUFORT – Beaufort County voters today approved a $439 million school bond referendum aimed at improving school safety, rebuilding or replacing inadequate facilities, population growth, and adding Career and Technical Education space to address academic needs.

This is the largest bond referendum in our district’s history, and its approval represents a strong show of support for our 21,500 students and their futures.

Dr. Frank Rodriguez, BCSD Superintendent

 

The Nov. 7 referendum asked Beaufort County citizens to vote on one initiative:

  • $439 million in school safety and security enhancements; a rebuild of Hilton Head Island High School; replacement of Lady’s Island Middle School; a new Pre-K-5 elementary school in Bluffton; a gymnasium for Riverview Charter School; career and technical education renovations and additions; a technology warehouse imaging center; HVAC replacements; furniture; parking lots/drives/sidewalks; a new early childhood center; and a kitchen at Right Choices.

More than 72 percent of voters approved the measure, according to unofficial results posted late Tuesday night on the website of the county’s Board of Voter Registration and Elections.

“This is the largest bond referendum in our district’s history, and its approval represents a strong show of support for our 21,500 students and their futures,” said Superintendent Frank Rodriguez.  “Our job now is to demonstrate to voters that their vote of confidence was deserved.  We will work to ensure these important projects are completed on budget and in a straightforward and transparent fashion.”

The first projects set in motion will be the ones already under design. This includes the rebuild of Hilton Head Island High School, the prek-5 elementary schools on the May River High School campus in Bluffton, and the CTE addition at May River High School.  “The Board’s foresight in approving design work prior to the referendum vote will allow a jump start on construction which will begin as soon as bond referendum funding is available,” Chief Operations Officer Robert Oetting said. 

All of the projects were included in a comprehensive list of facilities needs identified earlier this year by an independent committee of county residents. Members of the Community Project Review Committee (2.0) worked more than 900 hours – visiting nine schools in Beaufort and other districts and receiving presentations from outside experts – before producing the district-wide projects list.  CPRC members also received presentations from outside experts – before producing the prioritized district-wide projects list that was sent to Superintendent Frank Rodriguez. CPRC 2.0 members received information about early childhood, technology, career and technical education, energy management, Riverview Charter School, and Bluffton growth. They also reviewed information about projects not included in the 2019 referendum and the facility condition assessment for multiple buildings in BCSD.

After the CPRC identified $928 million in district-wide facilities needs, the Beaufort County Board of Education specified $439 million in projects for voters to consider in today’s referendum.

Rodriguez said growing school districts generally need to approve a bond referendum every four to five years to accommodate increasing enrollment and preserve existing facilities. “This vote of confidence will continue the District’s momentum of improving and securing learning environments for the students and staff of Beaufort County.”