Budget for two new elementary schools rises to $26 million

What happened

The board raised the total budget for the new Circleville and Oscarson elementary schools to $26 million, up from about $25.5 million in April. It also approved about $2.24 million in change orders so far, including backup generators, extra playgrounds and field work, and high school paving.

Why it matters to families

These are the biggest building projects in the district. Change orders add cost, and the district says only about 09,000 of cushion was left before the increase.

The evidence

August 11, 2026 approved minutes list the funding ($18 million state small-schools capital grant, $5 million revenue bond, $2.2 million interest, $500,000 safety grant) and record unanimous votes to raise the budget to $26 million and approve change orders. The change-order list in the board documents totals $2,236,486.

The source