District overview
Johnson County Central Public Schools
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How is Johnson County Central paid for, and who decides?
Johnson County Central Public Schools (Johnson County School District 49-0050) serves about 520 students in southeast Nebraska. It runs three buildings: a PreK-3 elementary (built 1931) and the high school (1966) in Tecumseh, and a grades 4-8 middle school (1958) in Cook. Students attend a four-day school week. Most money comes from local property taxes: for 2025-26 the board asked for $8.35 million for the General Fund, plus $1.47 million for the Special Building Fund and $303,030 for a capital repair fund (QCPUF). Six elected board members set the budget and tax request and hire the superintendent, Jon H. Rother.
$8.35M General Fund tax
2025-26 property tax request; the total levy was about $0.946 per $100 of value after valuations rose 17.45%.
$9.41M budget authority
State-certified 2026-27 limit on the budget, reviewed at the July 2026 retreat; the board also voted to raise its tax request authority by 7%.
Two sites, three buildings
The board says running buildings in Tecumseh and Cook costs about $2.08 million a year more than one site would.
$35M bond on Nov. 3, 2026
Voters decide on a new PreK-8 building in Tecumseh. If it fails, the board has discussed closing a building.
The savings figures come from the district's own bond materials and have not been checked by an outside source. The 2026-27 budget hearing minutes (September 28, 2026) are not posted yet.
Where the district stands
Plus $1,473,591 Special Building Fund and $303,030 QCPUF.
The rate that would have raised the same taxes as last year was $0.826.
Plus $183,605 of unused prior-year authority.
From the federal Common Core of Data, not a collected district document.
Major projects
New PreK-8 building (bond vote)
on the November 3, 2026 ballotThe board plans a one-level, about 71,000-square-foot PreK-8 building on 52 acres it bought north of the football field in Tecumseh, estimated at $31.8 million. High school classes would stay in the current high school. Earlier bond plans for a larger PreK-12 building did not go forward.
- Board discusses a $30-35 million PreK-8 bond
- Board agrees on PreK-8 in Tecumseh as phase 1
- Board calls bond election (6-0)
- Public info meeting in Cook
- Bond election
Funding
Voter-approved general obligation bonds repaid by a property tax levy (about 25 years)
High school renovation
phase 1 finished August 2026; phase 2 planned for summer 2027Cheever Construction replaced heating and cooling, added sprinklers and a fire alarm system, and replaced ceilings and doors at the 1966 high school. Planned 2027 work includes secure entries, an elevator, science labs and windows; an $88,400 track resurfacing was approved for summer 2027.
- $217,782 design contract
- Contract awarded
- Main work done; lower level open about Aug. 18
- Track resurfacing bid accepted
Funding
Special Building Fund and QCPUF; up to $3.1 million lease-purchase approved as backup
New English language arts curriculum
bought; in use 2026-27Amplify CKLA for grades K-8 (six-year subscription) and HMH Into Literature for grades 9-12.
- Board approves purchase
Funding
District funds plus a $65,000 federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant
Recent news
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Practical guides to school phone policies, district budgets, and administrator hiring.
Explore resources →Collected from the district website (jccentral.org): all board minutes, special-meeting and hearing minutes, and monthly claims lists from September 2025 through the October 14, 2026 meeting, plus district articles on the bond and the high school renovation.
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