In 1997, Gwinnett County voters approved funding for the first-ever education SPLOST, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Revenue from the five-year penny tax was used to build classrooms, provide instructional technology, and pay down existing debt from a 1993 bond referendum.
In 2002, Gwinnett County voters extended the sales tax for schools for another five years, providing funding for new classrooms, technology and land for future schools.
In both cases, the school system was able to honor the promises made to citizens, actually providing more than was originally promised.
On November 7, voters approved an extension of the education SPLOST. SPLOST III will go into effect July 1, 2007 and last through June 30, 2012. The current one-cent sales tax for schools (SPLOST II) expires on June 30, 2007. Due to Gwinnett County Public Schools' continued enrollment growth over the past two decades, and the projected continuation of that growth for the foreseeable future, new schools and other capital improvements for the additional students are an ongoing, pressing need. SPLOST III is projected to generate, at best, $1.1 billion – enough funding to cover 40 to 50 percent of the known classroom and capital needs. Additional funding will need to be considered to complete the five-year building program. | Delivering on promises...
19 new schools provided
to date under the 2002-07
building program.
Within the program,
two new clusters
were established--
Mill Creek and Peachtree Ridge.
Prototype designs are just
one way GCPS provides quality
facilities while containing costs.
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