Voters Will Decide 373 School Bonds This November
Homeowners nationwide will weigh in on $53 billion in proposed school infrastructure borrowing.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Administration
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Voters across the United States will cast ballots on 373 school bond measures this November 2026. If all proposals are approved, districts are expected to borrow a combined $53 billion to fund capital improvements.
Why it matters
Districts pursue bond funding because school facility repairs and new construction require capital outlays that exceed annual budgets. Many districts are now prioritizing funding to harden schools for safety while managing buildings that average nearly 50 years old.
Nationwide, 373 bond issues are on the ballot for November 2026, totaling $53 billion in proposed debt. This follows a trend where successful bond election rates dropped from 82% in 2018 to 75% by 2024.
The players
Yakima school district
A public school system that secured voter approval for a $200 million construction bond in early 2026.
The details
School districts borrow against future local property tax revenue to finance large-scale building projects. To manage costs, districts often bundle multiple facility repairs into a single comprehensive bond project. Recent cycles have seen a shift in focus, with bonds passed specifically for secure entrances rising from approximately 60 in 2018 to 580 in 2024.
Timeline
2018: Successful school bonds reached an 82% approval rate.
2022: A significant surge of school bond borrowing occurred.
2024: Successful school bonds fell to a 75% approval rate.
Spring 2026: The Yakima school district bond measure passed.
November 2026: Voters will decide on 373 school bond issues.
The Home Front
School bond elections reflect a growing emphasis on facility hardening, as evidenced by the increase in bonds passed for secure entrances between 2018 and 2024. These measures are critical for homeowners, as districts rely on the local property tax base to determine their total bond capacity.
Homeowners should review their local November ballot to identify if a school bond measure is proposed for their specific district. Check your property tax statements or county election portal to understand how a successful bond might impact your local tax levies over the coming decades.
The takeaway
School bond measures are a primary tool for financing the modernization of aging school buildings, which now average nearly 50 years old. Use the upcoming November 2026 election to evaluate the fiscal impact of proposed construction projects on your local property tax assessments.
Further reading
Learn more about local school funding at Administration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Education Week.
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In your community, is now a good time to approve tax increases for school construction?
