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Scottsdale USD outlines security, technology and facilities needs that would be funded by a bond
Summary
District staff and consultants showed a capital plan focused on school safety, modernizing classrooms and critical infrastructure: camera and access-control replacements, network/PoE upgrades, roof/HVAC and plumbing repairs (notably at Desert Mountain), plus administrative facility work and solar/energy projects.
District staff presented a capital plan the board could authorize for voter consideration that prioritizes safety, technology, lifecycle maintenance and limited administrative capital work.
Staff identified security upgrades across elementary, middle and high schools (camera replacement, modern access control, improved notification systems and classroom audio). One presenter said more than 50% of cameras are past their life expectancy and that a full security program across all campuses would cost roughly $51 million. IT staff said legacy switches and servers lack Power over Ethernet (PoE), preventing modern cameras and other devices from operating; they recommended replacing switches, wireless access points, UPS systems and cooling in MDF/IDF rooms to sustain the infrastructure.
The facility condition assessment (Bureau Veritas, paid from district funds) documented widespread lifecycle needs: Desert Mountain High School's older plumbing (cast iron failures), gym and HVAC work, and administrative facilities such as the materials-distribution warehouse and the district NOC (network operations center) that require HVAC and roof work. Staff presented representative per-school project lists and said the facility condition assessment covered a 20-year horizon, with a five-year slice shown to the board.
Staff emphasized trade-offs: the board could choose a smaller bond package near $350M—$395M to limit homeowner impacts or pursue a larger program (up to $475M) to address more deferred maintenance. Presenters also noted potential savings by paying off some capital leases (solar/energy leases) and by avoiding future M&O emergency spending.
Why it matters: The bond's scope determines whether critical safety and IT upgrades can be completed districtwide and how much the average homeowner would pay annually if voters approve the proposal.
