Spartanburg County School District 6 voters approved a $395 million no-tax-increase bond referendum on March 31, clearing the way for the district to begin planning nine construction projects aimed at addressing enrollment growth and aging school buildings across the Boiling Springs and Duncan corridor.
The bond, which was approved by voters, authorizes the district to borrow $395 million repayable over 30 years without requiring a tax rate increase. Superintendent Dr. Ken Kiser had explained to the community that the district expects to welcome approximately 2,000 additional students over the next decade, driven by residential development in Districts 5 and 6 — among the fastest-growing areas in South Carolina.
The nine projects funded by the bond include construction of two new elementary schools, a new Dawkins Middle School, additions and renovations to schools nearing capacity, and the replacement of the Child Development Center, the district’s oldest building dating to the 1950s. Projects are expected to be completed within a five-year window from the time construction begins.
According to district officials, the 30-year bond can be repaid within the district’s existing debt service capacity combined with expected growth in property tax revenue from new residential and commercial development. No increase to the current debt service tax rate is projected if the district follows its planned construction timeline.
District 6 covers the Boiling Springs, Inman, Lyman, Duncan, and Woodruff Road areas and has been one of the most rapidly growing school districts in South Carolina. Several of its elementary schools are already at or near capacity, and the demographic studies that informed the bond projects project continued enrollment growth beyond the ten-year window.
The bond approval represents one of the largest public education investments in recent Spartanburg County history. For families relocating to the Boiling Springs and Duncan areas — some of the most active residential development zones in the Upstate — the new school construction will shape the educational options available to the next generation of Spartanburg County students.
What’s Happening
Q: What did Spartanburg County School District 6 voters approve?
A: District 6 voters approved a $395 million no-tax-increase bond referendum on March 31 to fund nine construction projects addressing enrollment growth and aging school facilities across the Boiling Springs and Duncan area.
Q: Will the bond increase property taxes?
A: No. District officials project that the 30-year bond can be repaid within existing debt service capacity plus expected revenue growth without raising the current tax rate for District 6 property owners.
Q: What will be built with the $395 million?
A: The nine projects include two new elementary schools, a new Dawkins Middle School, a replacement Child Development Center, and additions and renovations to schools nearing capacity, with completion expected within five years.
Q: Why does District 6 need new schools?
A: Demographic studies project 2,000 additional students in District 6 over the next decade, driven by rapid residential development in Boiling Springs, Duncan, and Lyman — some of the fastest-growing parts of Spartanburg County.
Q: Which school is being replaced first?
A: Among the priority projects is the replacement of the Child Development Center, the district’s oldest building, which dates to the 1950s. A new Child Development Center and an additional small elementary school would be built on that site.