Strategies, Obstacles, and Methods Related to Conducting Building Bond Campaigns in Rural Illinois Unit (K-12) School Districts

This study was designed to determine (a) the strategies used by school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts to help pass school building bond issues, (b) the obstacles that school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts faced when trying to pass building bond issues, and (c) the methods used by school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts to overcome the obstacles. The study took place during the spring of 1998. The study included a survey that was sent to the superintendents of the 88 small and medium sized (less than 1,800 students) rural Illinois unit school districts (grades K-12) which attempted to pass school building bond issues from 1991-1997. Fifty-nine superintendents (67%) responded to the survey. The results indicated that 15 out of the 16 strategies surveyed were used by at least 40% of the superintendents that responded. These results indicate that school districts are taking a proactive role in their efforts to obtain voter approval. The results also indicated that district personnel can expect to face many obstacles as they attempt to pass a building bond issue. The obstacles were sorted into eight categories: (a) cost impact on taxpayers, (b) recent reassessment of property, (c) a split board, (d) potential of school consolidation, (e) informing the taxpayers with the same message, (f) apathy and lack of trust, (g) scope of the project, and (h) anti-tax group. Additional results indicated that several methods are available to help overcome obstacles related to a successful building bond campaign. Two or more methods used by school district personnel were presented for each of the eight obstacles faced by districts attempting to pass building bond issues. The findings led the researcher to recommend five areas that school district personnel need to use as a focus: (a) the timing of the bond issue, (b) involving the community in the planning and implementation of the building bond campaign, (c) developing a strong public relations program, (d) having strong educational leadership, and (e) thorough planning of the building bond campaign