Tulsa school board appoints panel to craft technology bond issue
BY ANDREA EGER World Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
3/05/13 at 2:24 PM
The Tulsa school board might have a technology bond proposal to present to voters by early February.
The board appointed a new, 20-member development committee Monday to craft what would be Tulsa Public Schools' first bond issue in three years.
"The plan is to have a recommendation ready (for school board consideration) by the Feb. 4 board meeting," said Bob LaBass, executive director for bond projects. "If we were to call a bond election, that's the time we would need to start."
In 2010, Tulsa voters overwhelmingly approved a $354 million bond package for the school district.
Most of that money is being spent on facility renovations and repairs, including windows, roofs, and heating and air conditioning.
Superintendent Keith Ballard has said the district hasn't kept pace with the instructional technology available in other area districts and that it could be of great use in Tulsa classrooms.
The district recently surveyed its teachers and principals about what technology is available to them, how they use it and what additional resources or training they need.
The new committee will be reviewing the results of that survey, which are due for public release soon.
Board Vice President Ruth Ann Fate asked how many of the committee members had been involved in previous Tulsa Public Schools bond committees.
"The majority have served before, but we do have some new individuals who are familiar with technology that we brought in to help advise us about that," LaBass said. "We might need to add some safety items, but the bond issue will primarily be technology."
2013 Tulsa Public Schools Technology Bond Development Committee
- Rachel Maze (co-chairwoman)
- Rodger Randle (co-chairman)
- Bob Howard
- Richard Ryan
- Dennis Neill
- Stacy Loeffler
- Stephan Sargent
- Lynn Stockley
- Eddie Evans
- Ben Stout
- Chris Hudgins
- Susan Harris
- Joe Jennings
- Trish Williams
- Charlotte Manning
- Blaine Young
- O.C. Walker
- James Stuart
- Peggy Spillman
- Randy Blattner
Original Print Headline: TPS panel set to craft technology bond issue
Andrea Eger 918-581-8470
andrea.eger@tulsaworld.com
