RAPID CITY, S.D. – After years of work developing a plan to put in front of voters, the Rapid City Area Schools put forward a $107 million bond proposal to address growing needs in the school district. The bond proposal is a scaled down version of the $189 million plan that narrowly failed in 2020.
On Thursday, Rapid City School Superintendent Jami Jo Thompson and district Chief Financial and Operations Officer Coy Sasse, highlighted the need for the bond, the future of the district if it doesn’t pass, and encouraged the public to be informed through one of several public open forums before the November 3 vote.
“Our goal is to make sure that accurate information is accessible to everyone across the community,” Thompson said. “We know that people have questions and we want to make sure that we can answer them directly.”
The proposed bond would address several district priorities:
HVAC upgrades ($32 million) to address heating, cooling and ventilation systems nearing end of life; safety and security upgrades ($3 million); South Park Elementary addition and renovation ($12 million); a new elementary at the Parkview Property ($40 million); and, Stevens High School safety improvements ($20 million).
Sasse said the critical needs in the bond issue were the result of master planning and working closely with the community. All told, the bond issue priorities address safety and security, the shifting population and related needs in the district, and HVAC.
“We really wanted to ensure that what was coming to the top in terms of critical needs in that master planning process resonated with the community,” Sasse said.
In 2020, the district sought a bond for $189 million which got 56 percent of the vote, just shy of the needed 60 percent. The current bond proposal was pared down from that earlier request – the tax impact of the proposed $107 million bond would be about 49 cents per thousand dollars of a property’s valuation – or about $12.25 a month on a $300,000 property.
“Every aspect of our community is deeply impacted by the quality of our education system,” Sasse said. “There’s plenty of data to suggest that facilities mean a great deal when it comes to the quality of your education system.”
Sasse said if the bond fails to reach the needed 60 percent threshold on November 3, the critical needs would still be addressed but ultimately increase costs for the district.
“The needs don’t change,” Sasse said. “The projects identified in the master plan are going to continue to be the high priority and critical projects. What will change is the timeline in which those projects can be accomplished.”
Additional information, including project details, frequently asked questions, tax impact information, project timelines, and other resources, is available at: www.rcas.org/page/bond-information
Information Session Schedule:
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Virtual (Zoom)
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
South Park Elementary
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Virtual (Zoom)
7:00–8:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Valley View Elementary
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Virtual (Zoom)
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Stevens High School Theatre
6:00–7:30 p.m.
