Wichita Voters Weigh $615 Million School Bond

Voters in Wichita are deciding a two-question, $615 million school bond issue that would rebuild schools and fund trades education facilities.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Isometric editorial illustration of a brick school building beside a steel scaffold and construction beams on flat prairie terrain. — Wichita voters are deciding a $615 million school bond that would rebuild four schools and fund a new trades education facility, with a second question raising the mill levy. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you support a property tax increase to fund Wichita school building improvements?

Wichita voters are casting ballots on a two-question $615 million school bond issue placed on the ballot by the district. Question 1 proposes a new trades education facility and rebuilding four schools, while Question 2 is contingent on Question 1 passing and would increase the mill levy.

Why it matters

The measure would shape how Wichita schools are rebuilt and how property taxes are structured for local homeowners. Voters in the city are weighing the cost of upgrades against the mill levy changes proposed in the second question.

The bond package totals $615 million across two questions, with Question 2 contingent on Question 1 passing. A $200,000 home would see a $50 annual property tax increase under the proposal, and election results were not yet available.

The players

Wichita School District

The Wichita public school district placed the two-question bond issue on the ballot and oversees the schools slated for rebuilding.

The details

Question 1 proposes building a new facility for education in the trades, rebuilding four schools, and extending the 2008 mill levy rate beyond its 2029 renewal date without a rate increase. Question 2 focuses on preserving aging high schools, renovating OK Elementary School into an early childhood center, improving career and technical education spaces, and raising the mill levy.

2008: Original mill levy rate set.
2026-11-04
Bond election polls closed; results pending.
2029: Current mill levy rate renewal date.

Political Context

The bond proposal extends the mill levy rate first set in 2008 beyond its 2029 renewal date, building on that earlier funding framework. Question 2 would go further by raising the mill levy, a step the first question does not include.

If approved, Wichita homeowners would see a property tax increase, with a $200,000 home facing roughly $50 more per year. The changes would also affect students and families in the schools slated for rebuilding or renovation.

The takeaway

Wichita voters face a choice between funding school rebuilds and trades education now and accepting higher mill levy changes. Reviewing both questions separately before the results are finalized helps clarify what each one would cost.