Penny Sales Tax Funds School Construction, Technology & Buses
Cherokee County’s
1-percent Education Special
Purpose Local Option
Sales Tax (Ed SPLOST)
shows the power of a penny
when invested into supporting
schools.
Revenue from the sales
tax, which began at the
recommendation of a
blue-ribbon committee in
2001 of business, civic and
elected leaders and has
been renewed by voters
ever since, funds school
construction and major
renovations, as well as
other large capital costs
such as technology infrastructure.
The Ed SPLOST has
built 19 new schools in
CCSD and paid for major
renovations to just as
many, as well as constructed
office space and warehouses
to operate the
school district.
Voters approved (with a
75% passage rate) a renewal
of the Ed SPLOST in
November 2021 to extend
the sales tax another five
years to complete additional
new construction and
renovation projects.
A capital projects
update is part of each
42 CLASS ACT | 2022-2023
School Board agenda and
can be viewed in the Open
CCSD section of the School
District website. In addition
to school construction,
the penny sales tax helps
the school district fund
technology and replacement
school buses, as
neither category is fully
funded by state dollars.
Eye to Efficiency
The school district has
been recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education
for its dedication to “green”
practices through a review
process that focuses closely
on school construction and
operations.
With every construction
project, CCSD’s facilities
staff implements new
systems and materials to
increase efficiency and
conserve natural resources.
Schools now are constructed
or renovated with
four-pipe chilled water and
hot water systems to extend
equipment life expectancy;
variable speed pumping
systems; energy management/
control systems;
electric hand dryers; and
LED light fixtures -- all
greatly reducing energy
costs.
2021 ED SPLOST PROJECTS (2022-2026)
• Cherokee HS Replacement
• Free Home ES Replacement
• Creekland MS Addition
• Creekview HS Addition/Auxiliary Gym
• Woodstock HS Classroom Addition
• Sequoyah HS Athletic Facility Improvements Phase I
• Etowah HS Athletic Facility Improvements Phase II
• River Ridge HS Auxiliary Gym
• Oak Grove ES Renovation
• Boston ES Parent Drive Entrance
• Keeter Road Professional Development Facility
The 2016 Ed SPLOST provided for a new classroom wing at Woodstock
MS to replace classrooms housed in trailers.
School Board members and CCSD staff tour the new addition at
Woodstock MS.
Woodstock HS students now have use of an auxiliary gym for PE
classes and more indoor sports capacity. Creekview and River
Ridge are slated to have auxiliary gyms added with the 2021 Ed
SPLOST.