If voters turn down the proposal for a second time, the district cannot request the sales tax increase again for two years. Facing burgeoning student enrollments, an increase of 4,000 students, from 89,210 in 1997 to 93,320 in 1998, DeKalb County School District is in the midst of the largest school construction initiative in its history, fueled by the Local Option Sales Tax. For the past seven years, Houston County School System has grown at the rate of more than 500 students per year. Enrollment is expected to surpass 20,000 this year, compared to 19,542 just two years ago. Since 1990, three new elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school have been constructed and two more new middle schools are expected to be operational by 2000.
Estimates call for growth to continue well into the next century.
Meanwhile, overflow students are using 150 trailers as classrooms. Richmond County School District is Georgia's seventh largest school district and the largest outside the Atlanta metropolitan area. Typical growth is between 700 and 800 students per year, from 35,253 in 1996 to 36,130 in 1997 and to 37,000 in 1998. Construction has already started on a new high school and two new elementary schools, as well as additions and renovations to other area schools.