Master Facilities News

Possible funding options for Lakota’s Master Facilities Plan (MFP) were further narrowed down at the May 20 board meeting. The Board will decide on June 9 whether to move forward with a ballot issue in November. 

Lakota’s Board is exploring funding options for its Master Facilities Plan, which includes plans to address overcrowding and reduce school transitions for students. The discussion also included potential state funding and future planning needs. Learn what this means and what comes next.

The Lakota Board of Education spent part of its April 13 special meeting reviewing the first phase of the District’s Master Facilities Plan (MFP) and discussing possible ways to fund it. The long-term plan focuses on improving educational opportunities for students, reducing school transitions and easing overcrowding.

Lakota is reviewing next steps in a facilities plan designed to better support student learning across the district. New state funding eligibility is helping inform how and when those facility improvements could move forward.

The Lakota Board of Education has decided not to place a bond issue on the May ballot. This decision followed a lengthy discussion at its Feb. 2 meeting about Master Facilities Plan (MFP) options, state partnerships updates and funding considerations.

The Lakota Board of Education reviewed community feedback and two potential Master Facilities Plan options at its recent meeting. While no plan has been chosen, here's what the Board discussed and what comes next.

Lakota community members shared clear priorities—like smaller classes, safer buildings and fewer school moves—as district leaders revisit the Master Facilities Plan. See what more than 1,000 stakeholders said and how their feedback is shaping the next steps.

The Nov. 4, 2025 vote on Lakota’s bond issue and permanent improvement levy gives district leaders a chance to reflect and engage the community in planning next steps. While challenges like large class sizes, aging facilities, safety, and sustainability remain, the district invites input to improve the Master Facilities Plan.

Did you know that the ballot language and auditor’s website calculator differ from the actual NET impact of Lakota’s bond and permanent improvement levy?

The ballot and calculator show amounts IF Lakota would begin collecting in 2026. We will not. Lakota will not collect on the bond and permanent improvement levy until 2029, which will lower the net impact to taxpayers.

More dates have been added for our community information sessions to share the facts about Lakota's Master Facilities Plan (MFP) and the upcoming bond issue. These sessions are your opportunity to learn how the plan will impact our schools, students and community—and to ask questions directly to district leaders.

Lakota Local Schools has launched a new ThoughtExchange to gather community questions about the District’s Master Facilities Plan and the upcoming bond issue and permanent improvement levy.

Lakota Local Schools is hosting a series of community meetings to share important updates about our Master Facilities Plan (MFP) and the upcoming bond issue. These sessions are your opportunity to learn how the plan will impact our schools, students and community—and to ask questions directly to district leaders.

For the first time since 2013, Lakota Local Schools will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. Unlike the 2013 request, which was for an operating and permanent improvement (PI) levy, the upcoming ballot will include a bond issue and PI levy to fund the District’s Master Facilities Plan (MFP). The MFP aims to alter Lakota's building footprint in a way that addresses overcrowding, yields operational savings and allows for student program enhancements.

The last time Lakota voters approved a bond issue was in 2005. Learn more about the financial facts behind the 2025 ballot issue. 

Lakota Local Schools is hosting a series of community meetings to share important updates about our Master Facilities Plan (MFP) and the upcoming bond issue. These sessions are your opportunity to learn how the plan will impact our schools, students and community—and to ask questions directly to district leaders.

Lakota’s Master Facilities Plan (MFP), which reduces the District’s overall building footprint from 21 to 16 total buildings, calls for the construction of four new K-5 elementary schools. At the August12 sub-committee meeting, the site locations for the four new schools were narrowed. 

Lakota Local Schools is committed to providing safe, modern and efficient learning environments for all students — now and for generations to come. As part of our long-term Master Facilities Plan, we have partnered with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) to assess the condition of our buildings and determine the most fiscally responsible, sustainable path forward.

Do you know the difference between levies and bond issues? Similar to how homeowners may have different accounts for their expenses, school districts do, too.

Lakota Local Schools is planning for a major transformation through its Master Facilities Project. With an estimated cost around $500 million, this is one of the largest investments in the District’s future - and it will be carefully implemented with the help of a Construction Manager at Risk (CMR).