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Building the Future of Joplin Schools: Eagle Bond 2026

Our schools should be as ready as the futures they help build.

Bond Election FAQsElementary ProjectsAncillary ProjectsFiscal Responsibility

A young child smiles, wearing a graduation cap and gown.

Across Joplin, seven of our oldest elementary schools need important updates to improve safety, accessibility, and learning spaces, bringing them up to the standard of our newer buildings. Guided by community members serving on the Long Range Facility Committee, these priorities also include a much-needed indoor education and activity facility at Joplin High School to relieve crowded indoor spaces used by middle and high school students every day, year-round.

Through careful financial stewardship, we have already begun some of this work using $11M of capital reserves, and we are asking for the community’s help to finish the job. Together, these community-identified improvements would be funded through a responsible plan that uses an additional $10 million in district capital reserves and a $40 million bond, all while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in the area, pending voter approval on April 7, 2026.

 

The words 'EAGLE BOND' in a bold font, with an eagle graphic below.

Voting InformationBond Oversight CommitteeLong-Range Facility Recommendations

 

Two young girls smile while working on a craft project at a table.

 

Dr. Sachetta reads a book to a group of students in a colorful classroom.

A Message from Joplin Schools Superintendent,A thumbs-up icon inside a yellow circle, with the words 'Eagle Bond' and 'No Tax-Rate Increase' around the edge.
Dr. Kerry Sachetta

 

Dear Joplin Schools Community,

Over the past few years, Joplin Schools has made steady progress. Our students are growing academically, our staff continues to strengthen instruction, and our community remains committed to student success. That momentum gives us a strong foundation for the work ahead.

Looking forward, one of our most important responsibilities is ensuring students learn in safe, modern, and functional spaces. Many of our schools, particularly older elementary buildings, need updates to meet today’s standards. To address these needs, the Board of Education has placed a no-tax-rate-increase bond proposal on the April 7 ballot. The proposal would extend the current tax rate and invest in districtwide facility improvements, including safety upgrades, modernized learning spaces, and an indoor education and activity facility at Joplin High School. 

These improvements are part of our long-range facility plan and reflect years of planning, community input, and careful financial stewardship. In the coming months, we will continue sharing clear, transparent information so our community can understand what’s proposed and how it supports students now and in the future. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Joplin Schools.

Sincerely,
Dr. Kerry Sachetta

 

Quote from Veronica Scheurich, Joplin Schools Board of Education President

What Does the Eagle Bond Do?

A maroon number one with a white outline on a white background.

It makes our elementary schools safe places to be and great places to learn with security improvements and updated learning environments.

A maroon number two with a white outline.

It reduces screen time and encourages team time by developing long-awaited facilities that provide active indoor options for middle and high school students.

A maroon number three with a white outline.

It guarantees that we remain one of the LOWEST-TAXED districts in Southwest Missouri by making sure our school tax rates won’t increase.

A collage of elementary-age students smiling and posing in various school-based settings.
A collage of elementary-age students smiling and posing in various school-based settings.
A collage of elementary-age students smiling and posing in various school-based settings.
A collage of elementary-age students smiling and posing in various school-based settings.
A thumbs-up icon inside a yellow circle, with text around the edge saying "Eagle Bond No Tax-Rate Increase"

Ballot Language

Shall Joplin Schools of Jasper & Newton County, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $40,000,000 for the purpose of constructing, improving, repairing, remodeling, furnishing and equipping new and existing school facilities, including but not limited to, improvements to Stapleton, Eastmorland, Cecil Floyd, Kelsey Norman, McKinley, Royal Heights, and Jefferson Elementaries, construction of an indoor education & activity facility at Joplin High School and improvements at Junge Campus? The authorization of the Bonds is expected to result in no tax rate increase, and the District’s current debt service tax levy, which is $0.7616 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation, is estimated to remain unchanged.

A Message from Joplin Schools Superintendent,A man in a blue suit and red tie smiles at the camera.
Dr. Kerry Sachetta

Dear Joplin Schools Community,

Over the past few years, Joplin Schools has made steady progress. Our students are growing academically, our staff continues to strengthen instruction, and our community remains committed to student success. That momentum gives us a strong foundation for the work ahead.

Looking forward, one of our most important responsibilities is ensuring students learn in safe, modern, and functional spaces. Many of our schools, particularly older elementary buildings, need updates to meet today’s standards. To address these needs, the Board of Education has placed a no-tax-rate-increase bond proposal on the April 7 ballot. The proposal would extend the current tax rate and invest in districtwide facility improvements, including safety upgrades, modernized learning spaces, and an indoor education and activity facility at Joplin High School. 

These improvements are part of our long-range facility plan and reflect years of planning, community input, and careful financial stewardship. In the coming months, we will continue sharing clear, transparent information so our community can understand what’s proposed and how it supports students now and in the future. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Joplin Schools.

Sincerely,
Dr. Kerry Sachetta

A Message from the Board of Education President,A woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiles at the camera.
Veronica Scheurich

Dear Joplin Schools Voters,

On April 7, you will have the opportunity to make an important decision for the future of Joplin students. During the past two years, a committee of parents, teachers, and community members toured EVERY Joplin Schools building. They found that while some of the buildings are newer and had sufficient space for the students they served, many others had real concerns, lacked suitable spaces, and are not comparable to our newer schools. The committee believed that every student deserves to learn in a suitable and safe space and made recommendations to fix these issues.

Work is already underway and we are asking our friends and neighbors to help us finish the job. Through utmost fiscal responsibility, Joplin Schools has been able to invest the initial $21 million for the work, reducing the need for the bond request to $40 million. If we pass the bond on April 7, there will be no tax-rate increase for residents. Our tax levy has been steady since 2012 and remains one of the lowest in Southwest Missouri. 

Investing in our school facilities is imperative. Our students – all of them – deserve safe and suitable learning environments. Our teachers deserve to teach in schools and classrooms that are updated, large enough to serve their class size, and climate controlled for the best learning success. Our community deserves schools that are built to last, and consistent reinvestment in facilities to ensure that they do last. This plan, designed by our community, will accomplish that.

Respectfully,
Veronica Scheurich

Proposed Additions + Interior and Classroom Renovations

Proposed Interior and Classroom Renovations

Proposed Renovations

Targeted Elementary Improvements

These projects are included in the projected costs for each building’s overall additions, interior and classroom renovations listed above. We’re making special note of them here to highlight this important work being prioritized across many buildings at once.

A thumbs-up icon inside a yellow circle, with the words 'Eagle Bond' and 'No Tax-Rate Increase' around the edge.

Comprehensive Window Replacement

Cecil Floyd Elementary
Eastmorland Elementary
Kelsey Norman Elementary
Stapleton Elementary

Site Access, Safety and Parking Improvements

Cecil Floyd Elementary
Eastmorland Elementary
Jefferson Elementary
McKinley Elementary
Royal Heights Elementary
Stapleton Elementary

Ancillary Projects

Community Driven Planning

A group of committee members sit at group tables in the north middle school library for a presentation.

The Long Range Facility Committee – made up of more than 40 community volunteers, city leaders, school staff, and district parents – studied Joplin Schools facilities and needs for nearly two years in order to determine a strong path of facility planning for the next 5 to 15 years. Their efforts to understand district needs, constraints, demographics, and capital funding has helped them create a comprehensive Long Range Facility Plan for 2025 and beyond. We appreciate their thorough work to create this guidance.

Learn more about the 2025 Long Range Facility Plan and process here.