DeKalb County voters will decide Tuesday whether to renew a one-cent sales tax that would send up to $946.8 million to school construction and upgrades across the district.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at regular DeKalb County voting precincts, according to the call for election issued by the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections. Georgia requires photo identification to vote in person.

The measure, known as E-SPLOST VII, is a continuation of the existing education sales tax. It would not raise the current sales tax rate, according to the district's FAQ page. If approved, the tax would take effect July 1, 2027, when the current E-SPLOST VI program expires, and run for up to 20 calendar quarters through June 30, 2032.

What's at stake locally

The ballot question covers 152 DeKalb County School District facilities eligible for capital work. Several Dunwoody and Brookhaven schools are on the list: Dunwoody High School, Dunwoody Elementary, Vanderlyn Elementary, Chamblee High School, Chamblee Middle School, Huntley Hills Elementary and Dresden Elementary, among others.

Eligible projects range from roof and HVAC replacements to safety upgrades, technology improvements, athletic field work, new school buses and new construction. The funds cannot be used for teacher salaries or employee benefits, the district stated.

The district has not published a breakdown assigning specific dollar amounts to individual schools under E-SPLOST VII. The call for election lists broad project categories and all 152 facilities where work could occur, with spending based on the district's "determination of need priorities."

Bonds and borrowing

A "yes" vote would also authorize the DeKalb County Board of Education to issue up to $500 million in general obligation bonds at interest rates not exceeding 6 percent per year. That borrowing would let the district start projects sooner rather than waiting for sales-tax revenue to accumulate over five years, the district stated. Pursuing the bonds would require a separate board vote after the referendum.

The bigger picture

DeKalb County voters have approved six previous E-SPLOST programs, the district stated, with the most recent approved in November 2021. The total countywide tax, shared among the DeKalb County School District, Atlanta Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur, could raise up to $1,046,154,324.

Keisha L. Smith, executive director of the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections, signed the official call for election.

If voters reject the measure, E-SPLOST VI would end June 30, 2027, and the district stated it "would need to identify other legally available funding sources to address our significant need for future capital projects."

Separately, the district's Student Assignment Project is examining overcrowding in the Chamblee, Dunwoody, Cross Keys, Druid Hills, Lakeside and Tucker clusters. New and expanded schools funded by earlier E-SPLOST rounds are set to open from 2027 through 2029, according to the district's Student Assignment Project page.

Polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.