Our Plan if the Referendum does Not Pass

What Happens if the Bond Referendum is Not Approved?

If the bond referendum is not approved by voters, the facility needs identified across Bismarck Public Schools will not go away. Instead, the district would need to adjust how and when these needs are addressed.

A primary and immediate focus would remain on accessibility improvements, including ensuring that all students can safely and fully access learning environments, restrooms, entrances, and core services within our schools. Without bond funding, these projects would need to be completed using the district’s building fund, which is limited in scope and pace. As a result, addressing accessibility needs alone could take an estimated 4–6 years to complete.

In addition, the district would need to:

• Prioritize only the most urgent needs, delaying other important facility improvements
• Defer or scale back high-need projects due to financial constraints
• Reevaluate attendance boundaries and space utilization to manage building limitations

This approach would require ongoing reassessment of districtwide facility priorities and continued community conversation about how best to address these challenges over time.

While timelines and approaches may change, it is important to understand that these needs will persist—and delaying improvements often results in increased costs and more complex solutions in the future.