Broken Arrow Public Schools elections (2015)
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One seat on the Broken Arrow Public Schools school board was scheduled for general election on February 10, 2015. However, incumbent Jerry Denton was the only candidate to file for the Zone 5 seat, leaving him unopposed.[1]
The election did not appear on the ballot, but district voters still headed to the polls to decide $370 million in bond issues. Both propositions were approved by a three-quarters majority.[2]
About the district
- See also: Broken Arrow Public Schools, Oklahoma
Broken Arrow Public Schools is located in Tulsa County with a portion of the district located in Wagoner County in northeastern Oklahoma. The county seat of Tulsa County is Tulsa. Tulsa County was home to approximately 622,409 residents in 2013, according to the United States Census Bureau.[3] Broken Arrow was the sixth-largest school district in Oklahoma, serving 16,732 students during the 2010-2011 school year.[4]
Demographics
Tulsa County outperformed the rest of Oklahoma in terms of higher education achievement, median household income and percentage of residents living below the poverty level in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 29.7 percent of its residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 23.5 percent for Oklahoma as a whole. The median household income in the county was $48,181 compared to $45,339 for the state of Oklahoma. The poverty rate in Tulsa County was 15.9 percent compared to 16.9 percent for the entire state.[3]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Broken Arrow Board of Education consists of five members elected to five-year terms by geographic electoral districts. There was no primary election, and the general election was scheduled to be held on February 10, 2015.[6] Due to lack of opposition, however, the election did not appear on the ballot. The Zone 5 seat was scheduled for election in 2015.
Candidates began to file affidavits of candidacy on December 1, 2014. The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was December 3, 2014.[1]
Elections
2015
Candidates
Zone 5
Jerry Denton 
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School board zone map
The map below displays the zones for the Broken Arrow Public Schools Board of Education.
Endorsements
There were no official endorsements in the election.
Campaign finance
No contributions or expenditures were reported during the election, according to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.[7]
Past elections
Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2014Incumbent Board of Education president Cheryl Kelly was unopposed during the filing period and was sworn in for another term in February 2014. The election did not appear on the ballot on February 11, 2014. 2013Theresa Williamson defeated John Cockrell in the February 14, 2013 election for the Zone 3 seat on the Broken Arrow Public Schools election.
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What was at stake?
2015
As only one candidate filed for the open seat, Broken Arrow Public Schools residents did not see any school board candidates on the ballot for the Zone 5 seat election. This was the second consecutive unopposed election for the district. Nevertheless, an election was held for a $370 million bond issue. Broken into two separate proposition questions, voters approved the each question by a three-quarters majority.[8]
Bond issue question
| Bond issue appropriations, 2015 | |
|---|---|
| Description | Amount |
| Three new elementary schools | $80,000,000 |
| High school STEM classroom addition | $21,000,000 |
| New middle school | $30,000,000 |
| Sequoyah Middle School renovation and expansion | $19,500,000 |
| Childers and Oliver Middle School renovation and expansion | $12,000,000 |
| Freshman Academy Classroom expansion | $15,000,000 |
| Special education classrooms | $4,000,000 |
| Land acquisition | $14,000,000 |
| Kirkland Activity Complex | $39,000,000 |
| Two school auditoriums | $34,000,000 |
| Westwood Spirit and Auxiliary gymnasium | $12,000,000 |
| Vocational agricultural facility | $4,000,000 |
| Elementary renovations | $5,000,000 |
| High school renovation | $12,000,000 |
| Broken Arrow Alternative Academy renovation | $4,000,000 |
| District maintenance, security, furniture, fixtures and equipment | $17,500,000 |
| District technology allocation | $20,000,000 |
| District instructional allocation | $18,000,000 |
| Buses and student transportation | $9,000,000 |
District residents decided to authorize the issuance of approximately $370 million in bonds at the polls on February 10, 2015. The funds will be used to add new schools and classrooms in the district as well as maintenance on existing facilities over the next 12 years. The allocation of these funds can be found in the table on the right. Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall provided the following statement in a pamphlet describing the bond proposal:
| “ | The 2009 bond issue and the reallocation of bond funds in 2011 were a major step in addressing some long overdue needs of the district. As a result of these bond issues, Broken Arrow Public Schools made immense improvements to our facilities and provided safe, enriching learning environments for all students. Thanks to our patrons, portable buildings were completely eliminated, security and technology were vastly improved at every site, and there is equity for all of our students across the district as a result of these funds.
The 2015 bond issue projects total $370 million and will be completed over the course of 12 years. By planning for long-term capital improvement projects, we can better utilize resources while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently. These projects were carefully identified by the Long Range Planning Committee and include classrooms for growth, facilities for student programs, improvements in security and facility maintenance, advances in technology and instruction, and upgrades in transportation. The structure of this bond issue was intentionally designed to provide flexibility. If at any time a new need is identified, approved projects that have not yet begun can be postponed until a later date. Additionally, much like in 2011, the district can present a new proposal to voters if a reallocation of funds is needed. This bond issue is an opportunity to meet the needs of our growing district while continuing the momentum of excellence. As you read through this brochure, please remember this will not be the only tool used to communicate with our patrons. You will be seeing and hearing much more on the 2015 bond issue, and we encourage you to ask questions and offer input. Thank you for your participation in this process, and remember to vote on Tuesday, February 10, 2015.[9] |
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| —Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall (2015)[10] | ||
Results
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Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Broken Arrow Schools election in 2015:[6][11]
| Deadline | Event |
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| December 1-3, 2014 | Candidate filing period |
| January 16, 2015 | Voter registration closes |
| February 4, 2015 | Absentee ballot request deadline |
| February 5-6, 2015 | Early voting period |
| February 10, 2015 | General election date |
| April 30, 2015 | Campaign finance report deadline |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Oklahoma elections, 2015
The statewide annual school election date was February 10, 2015. No other offices were scheduled for election on that date. District residents voted on a 12-year $370 million bond issue.[2][12]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Broken Arrow Public Schools Oklahoma. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Broken Arrow Public Schools | Oklahoma | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tulsa County Election Board, "2015 Annual School Election Filings," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Broken Arrow World.com, "Broken Arrow school board calls February election for $370 million bond issue," November 22, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 United States Census Bureau, "Tulsa County, Oklahoma," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Voter Registration Reports," accessed December 12, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Oklahoma State Elections Board, "2015 Election Calendar," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma Ethics Commission, "Campaign Reporting Systems," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ Oklahoma State Election Board, "Unofficial Results: Multicounty Races Annual School Election — February 10, 2015," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Broken Arrow Public Schools, "Here We Grow: Broken Arrow Public Schools Bond Issue 2015," accessed January 14, 2015
- ↑ Oklahoma Ethics Commission, "Reporting Calendar," accessed December 5, 2014
- ↑ Broken Arrow Public Schools, "2015 Bond Issue," accessed December 5, 2014
| 2015 Broken Arrow Public Schools Elections | |
| Tulsa County, Oklahoma | |
| Election date: | February 10, 2015 |
| Candidates: | District 5: • Incumbent, Jerry Denton |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
