HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Houston County students could see some big changes if the community votes 'yes' on March 16th.
The Education SPLOST fund is up for renewal every five years, and the Houston County School System already has plans for that 1 percent sales tax.
In just the last five years, the E-SPLOST fund has added 900 classrooms, a brand new school, and new athletic facilities to the growing school system.
Superintendent Mark Scott says they just want to keep growing and improving.
Since 2017, they've built the new Bonaire Primary School, bought 69 new school buses, upgraded security systems, and added new gyms and athletic facilities at five of their high schools.
"When you're growing almost the size of an elementary school every year, it does require that you continue to upgrade," says Scott. "We've had five previous E-SPLOST programs that have added almost 50 percent of our instructional space."
Now, they have new goals for the fund that will last until 2027.
They want to build a new middle school to relieve Bonaire and Perry middle schools and build two new elementary schools to help Langston Road and Matt Arthur elementary schools.
"Bonaire Middle is full. Perry Middle has grown just over the last several years, so both of those schools need some relief," says Scott.
They also plan to upgrade internet access and add new buses to the fleet as the student population continues to grow.
Perry drama teacher Joe Sendek is particularly excited about a brand new performing arts center that would be built near Freedom Field.
He says right now, each school has their own theater.
"They're all different. Some of them have been newly-renovated. Some of them have been built within the last 10 years."
Sendek and Scott say they're hoping to partner with county on the new center to make it even bigger and better.
"The opportunity to have a new performing arts facility with all the latest and the greatest is incredible," he says. "Chorus and band and every field can go down there and have a facility that we don't have to worry about, 'Do we have enough seats?'"
They also want to improve the look and safety at all 39 campuses, with parking improvements, surveillance camera upgrades and security fencing.
Scott says with 30,000 students and growing, the E-SPLOST fund is the best tool they have to keep up, so if you live in Houston County, you can head to the polls to vote early starting February 22nd and election day is March 16th.
To vote early, you can head to the Board of Elections office in Perry, the Houston Health Pavilion in Warner Robins or Central Georgia Technical College.
Remember, this would just continue the current 1 percent sales tax already in place. It's not a tax increase.
To see the Houston County School System's entire plan, click here.