Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars

The voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.

A sales tax that was approved by the county back in 2018. Since then it’s allocated more than half of a billion dollars in revenue.

“It’s a difference that our community can see every day, just based on the construction, the improvements, the new schools, and different places, wherever they look around parts of the county because of that investment,” said Rob Spicker, spokesperson for Lee County schools. This is an investment that nearly every Lee County school has benefited from.

From outside these four walls to the classroom, with a centered focus on safety and security.

Some of the new developments to come include new middle and high schools in the east zone of the district and some new changes coming to Franklin Elementary School.

The district has sent over $300 million toward’s school enhancements listed below. Which include

– Eight new schools being built

– Safety systems are in place at each school — weapons detection system, traffic patterns, security in terms of cameras

– Seven schools undergoing substantial renovations that are in progress

– 4,767 new student seats created

– 22,000 Chromebooks for elementary school students

– 73,000 Chromebooks for student refresh program

Spicker credits the community for their support in making these improvements to the district possible.

“We can’t do this without the support of our community, their tax dollars are going to work to support the kids that are their future,” said Spicker. The students that we have are going to grow up and lead this county by giving them opportunities now they’ll be prepared for that.”