Another yes to school funding: Colonial voters approve boosts in leap day referendums

First, they watched nearly 4 out of every 5 Brandywine voters approve an operational referendum in mid-February.

Then, Red Clay Consolidated School District's voters loudly supported both an operations and capital-projects ask at roughly 71% approval each, just one day before Colonial schools would also send residents to the polls. Fellow New Castle County neighbors hoped for a similar support swell.

Colonial School District also floated operational and capital asks Thursday. Stepping into the leap day referendums, the state had already approved a $122 million certificate of necessity for maintenance and improvements on all 13 school buildings.

It has been nearly 20 years since the last major upgrade to district facilities, about seven since the last operating referendum. Colonial warned it sees a growing deficit ahead, anxious to avoid programming or staff cuts.

And voters heard it.

The district saw 63% of the vote approve the operational ask, according to preliminary results, while the capital side also saw about 62% nod in approval. That's voters delivering a solid yes to raising 25 cents per $100 of assessed property value in fiscal year 2025, 10 cents in 2026, 5 cents in 2027. Just over 3,500 votes were counted.

• Capital side: The state will provide $73.2 million for needed building maintenance and projects, as Colonial voters approved the district providing the remaining 40%, or $48.8 million, to secure that investment. This means repairs, updated building security, athletic field improvements and much more across school properties.

• Operations ask: Colonial says federal relief funds helped it stretch dollars — but it's time to keep up with needs in teacher recruiting, school safety, academic program innovation, maintaining facilities, updating technology, supporting sports and more. Voters said yes.

Colonial sees this boost as "showing all of our students that they deserve safe, functional, high quality spaces," the district wrote online. "We want every aspect of Colonial Nation to be a source of pride."

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Colonial School District voters green-light school funding boosts