Ruston school consolidation toppled at polls
Today voters in the Ruston school district overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to consolidate the four elementary schools in the city into two expanded K-5 sites.
The $65 million proposed bond issue for the Lincoln Parish School Board was defeated by more than one thousand votes, with 70% of ballots against it and 30% in favor, complete but unofficial returns show.
Of the 2,670 votes cast, 1,856 disapproved of the measure, and 814 supported it. That’s a 14.2% turnout of the registered electorate.
Meanwhile, the Simsboro school zone approved a $10 million bond proposal for campus upgrades at Simsboro School by a margin of 16 votes.
In February the school board approved a capital improvement plan that would have significantly expanded the Ruston district’s two K-2 grade schools, Hillcrest Elementary and Glen View Elementary, which would then absorb the two 3-5 grade schools, Ruston Elementary and Cypress Springs Elementary, respectively.
The move was aimed at reducing disruptive transitions for Ruston students, who must change schools several times before graduation.
The plan was dependent on today’s bond proposal election for funding. Along with some improvement projects for Ruston High School athletics and a new home for the board’s central office, the total price tag was $65 million.
But the proposal was met with active opposition from the beginning. None of the school board’s five Black members supported the consolidation plan, and soon a citizen group of mostly Black residents joined two of those board members in rallying against the ballot item.
They said closing the two elementary schools on the south side of town would be a "death knell" to their communities, and they questioned whether larger combined schools would be helpful for students and families.
As results began rolling in tonight, the proposal was losing big from the start, down 450 votes from early voting. The gap only widened from there as precincts began reporting Election Day figures.
The “no” vote carried the vast majority of precincts, including most of those closest to Hillcrest and Glen View.
Without the additional $65 million in bonds, the existing 17.75-mill property tax that pays off all of the Ruston school zone’s construction bonds will continue to be levied, but for fewer years than it would have been if the proposal passed today. As previous bonds start to be paid off in the next few years, the millage rate will lower.
A total of 294 voters in the Simsboro district narrowly gave the green light to the $10 million plan that will fund new classrooms, an agriscience shop, gym renovations and more at Simsboro School.
Supporting the proposal were 155 voters, good for 53%, over 139 opposed, or 47%.
