Norman Public Schools Places a $353 Million Bond Proposal on School Bond Election

NORMAN, Okla. –

Voters will decide in February whether to pass a Norman Public Schools bond for more than $350 million.

Norman Public Schools is looking to make upgrades at every school in the district and adding new programs.

Superintendent Nick Migliorino said they received over $700 million worth of needs and wants.

“Our facility assessments tell us a lot and then the input from the community, teachers, parents’ students really helps us to take it to that next level,” Migliorino said.

They narrowed it down to a $353.9 million school bond proposal. He said this proposal is building off of the 2019 bond. The bond includes a new multi-sport athletic stadium at Norman North High School and a facility for the Oklahoma Aviation Academy at Max Westheimer Airport.

“It’s the second largest industry in the state of Oklahoma and it’s growing faster than any other industry,” Migliorino said.

Right now, around 100 students are taking classes in the OU Aviation Program. Migliorino hopes to welcome more than 700 students in a few years if the proposal passes to build a facility.

“Most people, when they think of aviation they think of getting a pilot’s license, but there’s so much more that goes into getting a career in aviation. Everything from hospitality to marketing to computer science or to ultimately flying a plane, so all of those things,” Migliorino said.

The bond also carved out money for programs like the Future Farmers of America.

“We already do have a school farm, a hog farm, it’s something that has, I hate to say it, neglected over the last couple of bonds. It’s just time for us to invest in that hog farm,” Migliorino said.

The district is also looking into adding on to the district’s fine arts program. There’s one fine arts facility in the district now, Norman Public Schools said they’d like to build another one.

Voters will decide on this bond issue on February 14th. If it’s approved Miglirino said the mileage rate for Norman residents will not be more than 30. He said there will be no raise in property taxes to fund this.