Questions & Answers

What you should know about ballot items to support schools.

What is a SPLOST for education? (Click Here)

The Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax for education, also known as E-SPLOST, is a one-cent sales tax on all retail and online sales in Columbia County. This means that everyone who makes a purchase in Columbia County, including visitors, contributes to the support of local schools. By law, an E-SPLOST can be used only for certain capital projects and equipment, like buildings, furniture, buses, and computers. It cannot be used for salaries or for daily operational expenses of a school system or district.

What will be funded if voters approve the ballot item on November 5? (Click Here)

Renovate and add classrooms at six schools (Evans, Lakeside, Harlem, Greenbrier, and Grovetown high schools, Grovetown Middle School, and Grovetown Elementary School.)
Address identified needs at all schools
Upgrade student support facilities
Enhance technology, including new devices and infrastructure improvements
Provide safety and security upgrades
Continue preventive maintenance of existing facilities (roofs and HVAC replacement)
Purchase new school buses
Pay off existing general obligation (GO) bonds with previous building programs

Is the proposed E-SPLOST a new tax? How long would it be in effect? (Click Here)

The E-SPLOST is not a new tax; it is a continuation of the one-cent tax already being collected on sales. If voters approve the extension, the penny sales tax would continue to be collected for a five-year period or until the specified amount is collected..

Why is the district renewing the E-SPLOST now? (Click Here)

Approval in November of 2024 would ensure that the penny would continue to be collected and that there would not be gaps in the district’s ability to fund identified projects. With that knowledge, CCSD can continue to address its ongoing facility and technology needs.

How much would the proposed E-SPLOST raise for the school district? (Click Here)

A maximum of $270 million is projected to be raised in the five-year collection period of the E-SPLOST. Accompanying GO bonds will generate up to $270 million.

The ballot question mentions $270 million in GO bonds that will be approved as well. Why are bonds needed? (Click Here)

This will be the third consecutive E-SPLOST to include approval of GO bonds as part of the ballot question. The school district’s needs continue to outpace the funding it receives through E-SPLOST. The need for more modern classrooms and technology, as well as infrastructure and safety enhancements, continues. The sale of GO bonds allows the CCSD to address some of those needs more quickly.

What are key dates for voters? (Click Here)

August 19 - October 25, 2024	Absentee by Mail Voting application period
Oct. 7, 2024	Voter registration deadline and Absentee Voting by Mail begins
October 15, 2024	Advance In-Person Voting begins (through Nov. 1)
November 5, 2024	Election Day—Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

How can I learn more? (Click Here)

The Columbia County School District will hold a series of informational meetings across the district to gather public input and feedback on the proposed improvements for our school facilities that are a part of our comprehensive building program.

Grovetown High School Auditorium

2010 Warrior Way, Grovetown, GA

September 25, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FEEDER SCHOOLS

- Baker Place Elementary
- Brookwood Elementary
- Cedar Ridge Elementary
- Grovetown Elementary
- Lewiston Elementary
- Columbia Middle
- Grovetown Middle

Greenbrier High School Auditorium

5114 Riverwood Parkway, Evans, GA

September 26, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FEEDER SCHOOLS

- Greenbrier Elementary
- North Columbia Elementary Parkway Elementary
- River Ridge Elementary
- Riverside Elementary
- Greenbrier Middle
- Riverside Middle

Evans High School Auditorium

4550 Cox Rd., Evans, GA

September 30, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FEEDER SCHOOLS

- Brookwood Elementary
- Evans Elementary, Martinez Elementary
- Lewiston Elementary
- Columbia Middle
- Evans Middle
- Grovetown Middle

Harlem High School Auditorium

1070 Appling Harlem Highway, Harlem, GA

October 7, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FEEDER SCHOOLS

- Euchee Creek Elementary
- Grovetown Elementary
- North Columbia Elementary
- North Harlem Elementary
- Harlem Middle

Lakeside High School Auditorium

533 Blue Ridge Dr., Evans, GA

October 15, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.

FEEDER SCHOOLS

- Blue Ridge Elementary
- Martinez Elementary
- River Ridge Elementary
- South Columbia Elementary
- Stevens Creek Elementary
- Lakeside Middle
- Stallings Island Middle
- Riverside Middle

E-SPLOST Renewal Informational Brochure (Click Here)