Facts About the USD 251 Bond
Learn about the USD 251 Bond, one fact at a time! These facts are posted to our Facebook page first, so follow us there for the most up-to-date facts and information!
Fun Fact #22: See the facilities for yourself!
Understanding the USD 251 Bond One Fact at a Time
Fun Fact #22: See the facilities for yourself!
Our schools are more than just buildings. They are where our kids learn, make friends, find their confidence, celebrate successes, and create some of their favorite childhood memories.
If you want to better understand why the future of our facilities matters to USD 251, come see them for yourself.
This fall, the district is offering several opportunities for our community to walk through our schools, see the facilities firsthand, ask questions, and learn more about the proposed bond.
Informational Bond Meetings & Tours:
September 4, 2026
NHHS Tour — 5:00, 5:30, and 6:00 p.m.
October 3, 2026
Public Meeting at NLC — 10:00 a.m.
October 8, 2026
NLC Tour — 5:00, 5:30, and 6:00 p.m.
October 28, 2026
Public Meeting at NHHS — 6:30 p.m.
Whether you have children in our schools, graduated from them years ago, or simply care about the future of North Lyon County, we invite you to come see what our students and staff experience every day.
Sometimes the best way to understand where we are going is to take a look at where we are today.
Come see the facilities. Ask the questions. Be part of the conversation
Fun Fact #22: You can see what the proposed bond could mean for YOUR property!
Understanding the USD 251 Bond One Fact at a Time!
Fun Fact #22: You can see what the proposed bond could mean for YOUR property!
Want to know how much your property taxes could change if Question 1 passes or if both Question 1 and Question 2 pass?
USD 251 has a Taxpayer Cost Calculator available to help you estimate the impact based on your property.
You’ll need your appraised value and will need to select the correct property type:
Residential
Commercial
Agricultural
Be sure to select the category that applies to your property!
For reference, the average appraised value in North Lyon County is $156,300.
At that value, the calculator shows an estimated increase of about:
$305 per year if Question 1 passes
$377 per year if both Question 1 and Question 2 pass
The calculator is also available on the USD 251 Bond Information page, but we’re sharing the direct link here to make it easy!
See the calculator for yourself!
Take a few minutes to plug in your own numbers and see what the proposed bond could mean for you.
We want our community to have the information and tools to make an informed decision. Have questions? Reach out! We’re happy to help.
Fun Fact of the Day #21: Your Voice Matters!
Understanding the USD 251 Bond — One Fact at a Time!
Fun Fact of the Day #21: Your Voice Matters!
The USD 251 bond election is an important decision for our community, and your vote matters.
Not sure if you’re registered to vote? You can easily check your voter registration status and register to vote at https://www.ksvotes.org.
Take a few minutes to make sure your voice can be heard when it’s time to vote.
Check your registration. Register to vote. Make your voice count.
Check your voter registration or register to vote at https://www.ksvotes.org
USD 251 Together Committee
Sharing facts. Building understanding. Supporting the future of our Wildcats.
Fun Fact #20: The remodel option was estimated at an excess of $20 million!
Understanding the USD 251 Bond One Fact at a Time!
Fun Fact #20: The remodel option was estimated at an excess of $20 million!
Before the Board ultimately moved forward with the plan for a new high school in Americus, several options were considered for the future of our high school.
One of those options was remodeling our existing high school.
And when we hear the word remodel, it’s easy to picture a few updates here and there. But this wasn’t a small renovation.
The estimated cost of that remodel was in excess of $20 million and included major additions, new classrooms, a new agriculture shop, renovated locker rooms, cafeteria renovations, HVAC and electrical work, new gym floors, sewer work and much more.
For comparison, the estimated cost of a brand-new high school in Americus was about $26.7 million.
That’s a difference of roughly $6 million.
The remodel option is no longer the direction being pursued. We simply want our community to have the numbers and understand what was considered as part of the process that led to the current plan.
In excess of $20 million for a major remodel.
$26.7 million for a new high school.
These are important numbers to know as we talk about the future of USD 251.
And now, we have an opportunity to shape the future for generations of Wildcats to come. We want our kids to be proud of where they go to school, proud to call themselves Wildcats, and proud of the community that invested in their future.
The decisions we make today will be here for our kids, their kids, and generations of Wildcats to come.
Source: USD 251 Board Meeting materials, June 3, 2026
View the June 3, 2026 Board Meeting materials
Fun Fact #19: Our Kids Are Here—and They’re Counting on Us.
Understanding the USD 251 Bond — One Fun Fact at a Time!
Fun Fact #19: Our Kids Are Here—and They’re Counting on Us.
The 2026–27 enrollment estimate was 334 students, but as of August 19, 2026, we have 349 students enrolled!
Looking ahead, enrollment is projected to remain steady, with 339 students projected for 2030–31.
Behind every number is a child. A classroom. A teacher. A family who has chosen to build their future right here in our community.
These aren’t just enrollment projections—they represent the future of USD 251.
Our kids are here. Our community is here. And our future is here.
Stay up to date with the latest Q&A at the districts website: https://www.usd251.org/page/usd-251-bond-information
FUN FACT #18: Why Not Just Use Capital Outlay?
Understanding the USD 251 Bond One Fact at a Time!
FUN FACT #18: Why Not Just Use Capital Outlay?
One question we keep hearing is:
“Why can’t the district just use Capital Outlay to make the needed repairs?”
According to the district’s bond FAQ, a facilities study completed by DCS Services found that
Northern Heights High School is in need of major repairs that go well beyond the funds available through the district’s Capital Outlay fund.
Capital Outlay is there to help districts pay for facility needs—but it isn’t an unlimited fund.
So the question isn’t whether Capital Outlay can be used for repairs. It can.
The question is whether the amount of Capital Outlay funds available is enough to address the major needs identified in the facilities study.
According to the district’s information, it isn’t.
That is an important piece of the conversation when we’re asking why a bond is being considered.
Source: USD 251 Bond Information — Frequently Asked Questions
As always keep checking the website for more information and reach out with any questions!
FUN FACT #17: Your Property Taxes Aren’t USD 251’s Whole Budget
Understanding the USD 251 Bond One Fact at a Time!
FUN FACT #17: Your Property Taxes Aren’t USD 251’s Whole Budget
Did you know?
When your property taxes go up, USD 251 does not simply get to keep all of that additional money.
Kansas public schools are funded through a statewide funding formula. School districts receive money from a combination of local property taxes and state funding. The state formula considers things like student enrollment and the property wealth of each district when determining how much state funding a district receives.
Think of it like a pie: local property taxes are one piece, and state funding is another. If the size of one piece changes, the formula can change the size of another piece.
That’s why raising property taxes does not automatically mean USD 251 gets that same amount of additional money to spend.
Source:Kansas Legislative Research Department — Kansas School Finance System Overview
[Read the Kansas School Finance Overview](https://klrd.gov/…/briefing-book-2026-kansas-school…/…)
FUN FACT #16: What About Capital Outlay?
Understanding the USD 251 bond one fact at a time!
FUN FACT #16: What About Capital Outlay?
Did you know?
USD 251 already uses its Capital Outlay Fund to invest in our schools.
For the 2025–26 school year, USD 251’s total school mill levy was approximately 39.01 mills. Of that total, 7.885 mills were dedicated specifically to Capital Outlay, generating approximately $822,000 in local revenue.
So, what does Capital Outlay pay for?
Capital Outlay funds can be used for important long-term needs such as building repairs, remodeling, equipment, technology, maintenance, transportation equipment, and other qualifying capital expenses.
That investment matters. It helps our community maintain and improve the schools we have today.
But there is an important distinction: Capital Outlay is an annual funding source. It is not the same as having enough money available to construct an entirely new high school or complete a major district-wide facility project.
So when you hear, “Why doesn’t USD 251 just use Capital Outlay?” — the answer is: USD 251 already does.
Capital Outlay helps us maintain and improve what we have. A bond provides a different funding mechanism for a much larger project.
At the heart of this conversation are our students and our community. The question before us is how we continue investing in schools that serve the children and families of USD 251.
Taking care of what we have matters. So does looking at what our students need next.
For more information on the USD 251 bond visit: https://www.usd251.org/page/usd-251-bond-information
As always reach out if you have any questions or want to get involved!
Sources:
Kansas State Department of Education — 2025–26 Capital Outlay Data
Kansas Legislature — Capital Outlay Fund Authorized Uses