Education
Education

Clayton County voters give enthusiastic thumbs up for schools SPLOST

Clayton County voters approved a new SPLOST for schools on Tuesday.
Clayton County voters approved a new SPLOST for schools on Tuesday.
By Leon Stafford
March 20, 2019

Clayton voters overwelmingly approved a new SPLOST to raise $280 million over five years for schools.

Around 77 percent of voters approved the SPLOST, which the district says will fund three new schools, replace old buses, update HVAC systems and set aside money for an early learning system to serve Clayton preschoolers who are not in pre-K programs.

The funding also will be used to create a career and college-prep academy, purchase more Chromebooks for students and build an arena large enough to host all the school system’s graduations.

The SPLOST was one of several decisions voters made across metro Atlanta on Tuesday. They included picking candidates to fill seats on the Atlanta, Hapeville and Snellville city councils, the possibility of a transit collaboration between MARTA and Gwinnett County and a new Cherokee County commissioner.

> RELATED: Map shows Gwinnett MARTA results by location

> RELATED: Updated AJC election results chart

About the Author

Leon Stafford covers south metro government

More Stories

Keep Reading

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the FAMU Marching 100 head drum major, stands at attention ahead of the halftime performance at homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. At many historically Black colleges and universities, the marching band is as popular on campus as the football team. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

She’s the first female head drum major at FAMU, and she’s from metro Atlanta

As head drum major, Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede is something of a celebrity on FAMU’s campus. For the first time in its history, a woman leads the 340-member Marching 100.

The music stopped at Morris Brown. Two decades later, it might start again.

It’s hard to tell the story of the private Atlanta historically Black college without mentioning the famed Marching Wolverines.

Georgia students flock to Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk killing

Since Charlie Kirk’s Sept. 10 killing on a Utah college campus, Turning Point USA has seen a sharp rise in interest across the Peach State, according to chapter leaders.

The Latest

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the FAMU Marching 100 head drum major, stands at attention ahead of the halftime performance at homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. At many historically Black colleges and universities, the marching band is as popular on campus as the football team. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

She’s the first female head drum major at FAMU, and she’s from metro Atlanta

Georgia students flock to Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk killing

DeKalb schools superintendent pleads not guilty to federal charges

Featured

Peggy Harris (foreground) stocks the shelves at Sandy's IGA, which is the only grocery store in town, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Sparta. Hancock County has one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in the country. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Despite a $14.6 billion surplus, state leaders say they can’t bail out SNAP

The federal government says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will run out of money Nov. 1. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says there is nothing the state can do.

Husband of child services director fled DUI crash with kids in truck, GSP says

Authorities say the husband of Georgia's child protective services director had a blood alcohol level 4 times the legal limit when he left a crash with two kids in his truck.

Kirby Smart: LSU coaches ‘borrow’ offices, adds context to Brian Kelly firing

Georgia coach Kirby Smart understands the pressure at LSU, and how that combined with playoff expectations led to Brian Kelly being fired despite a .708 win percentage.