$80-million bond issue approved by CPS voters

Voters in Columbia Public Schools (CPS) have given the green light to an $80-million bond issue, which will fund the construction of two new elementary schools.

The final vote in Tuesday’s bond issue was 17,724 to 5,698. Passage required a four-sevenths majority, which is 57 percent.

The bond issue will fund a $25-million new elementary school on the John Warner middle school property, and $28-million for land and a new future elementary school in a location yet to be determined.

It will also fund a $15-million addition and renovation at the Columbia Area Career Center.

CPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood says growth is the main reason behind the bond issue. CPS is now Missouri’s fifth-largest district, with 18,500 students. Dr. Yearwood expects that to grow to about 20,000 in the next ten years.