LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — While much of the focus for the 2024 election was on state and federal races, the image becomes clearer now on local initiatives. That includes school bond votes in some South Carolina.
Citizens in Lancaster County voted not to approve a $588 million bond, something leaders with the Lancaster County School District said was needed to allow for four new schools to be built. Two of the schools would have gone in the northern part of the town of Indian Land.
"Our goal with the bond was to accommodate growth," Elizabeth Bryant, communications director for the district, told WCNC Charlotte. "We have most of our buildings at capacity. With the failure of the bond, we've got to go back to the drawing board to figure it out."
She said they've already begun discussing things and what will be next. Bryant noted some of those plans could include redrawing attendance lines and adding additional mobile classrooms to bring some relief.
"We need to provide the best quality instruction in place for students to have that instruction," Bryant said.
Similarly, voters in neighboring Chester County also did not approve of a $227 million bond referendum, making this the fourth consecutive time the district's school bond efforts failed. The district shared a statement with WCNC Charlotte saying the bond referendum was designed to address critical areas in their high schools and classroom expansions.
Now they're also working to find alternative approaches.
While those bond referendums did get the boot, York School District voters did approve $90 million to pay for a new middle school and expansion and renovations of district facilities.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.