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# Fact brief: Has it been 50 years since Rapid City passed a school bond?
- URL: https://www.sdnewswatch.org/fact-brief-rapid-city-area-schools-bond-vote/
- Published: 2025-08-07T11:00:50.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-07T11:00:50.000Z
- Description: A fact brief that refutes or confirms a claim with supporting information and additional evidence and context.
- Author: Michael Klinski
- Tags: Fact briefs

## Yes.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/cb/ab/cbabab5e-2dc6-462c-94a0-b72956c0d224/content/images/2025/01/WhiteFACT-BRIEF--500-x-200-px--2-1-1.png)

Rapid City voters have not passed a school district bond since 1973, when a $6.8 million bond for a new high school passed with 63.7% of the vote (60% needed to pass).

Six bond votes have happened since then, including in 2020 when voters rejected a $189.5 million bond for building improvements. 

The school district sent a survey to community members in late July asking for opinions on facilities and other aspects of the district in hopes of getting a new bond vote for $125 million.

The funding would be used for major maintenance on buildings, updating heating and air conditioning systems, upgrading safety and security, closing Robinsdale Elementary, building a new elementary school, expanding and renovating South Park Elementary and improving safety at Rapid City Stevens High School. 

According to the school district, the bond would increase property taxes on a $300,000 property by $195 every year.

### Sources

Rapid City Journal, [School bonds given approval (1973 article)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/124NGBG5lIJb8Aphxi5wAEOWBolC5uKtT/view?usp=drive%5Flink&ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Rapid City School District, [Bond survey](https://drive.google.com/file/d/15U%5Fngux8NaYUcY%5F02oknIO-%5FM1ULzfQm/view?usp=drive%5Flink&ref=sdnewswatch.org)

Rapid City Journal, [Rapid City School District hasn't passed a bond since 1973\. Can a new book help?](https://ghostarchive.org/archive/tHnzW?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

NewsCenter1, [RCAS launches survey on new bond proposal for facilities](https://www.newscenter1.tv/news/local/rcas-launches-survey-on-new-bond-proposal-for-facilities?ref=sdnewswatch.org)

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