An Unappreciated Economic Development Engine: School Districts
On May 2, Dallas voters approved a $6.2 billion school bond, the largest in Texas history, by a 3-to-1 margin. The measure will build 26 new schools and modernize every campus in the district. That’s a school story, but it’s also an economic development story.
Nothing illustrates that better than what happened after Dallas voters approved another bond issue six years ago. The 2020 bond has generated more than 64,000 jobs across more than 200 campus upgrades, according to the school district. Marcus Elementary, rebuilt under that program, saw academic scores jump 21 points in its first year in a new building. But Dallas didn’t just invest in classrooms; it invested in architects, construction crews, vendors and the tax base that follows modern schools. The city treated its district as infrastructure that produces returns.
Most local governments haven’t figured this out yet.
Read more at Governing.
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TNTP is the nation’s leading research, policy, and consulting organization dedicated to transforming America’s public education system so that every young person thrives.
Today, we work side-by-side with educators, system leaders, and communities across the nation to reach ambitious goals for student success.
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