Miles SmithVoters have approved a $90 million bond to expand Moore Norman Technology Center’s facilities to allow more career training opportunities for high school students in Norman, Moore and south Oklahoma City in a special election held on March 4. The bond passed with 51.69% of the votes cast, according to unofficial election results.
The bond will fund:
- A new construction trades facility for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical and carpentry programs.
- Expansion and renovation of health programs and facilities, including updating the health building constructed in 1998.
- Creation of flexible training spaces for business and industry partnerships.
During the 2024-25 school year, MNTC had to turn away 25% of qualified applicants in high-demand career fields like health care and construction trades due to limited space.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission projects a 12.2% increase in demand for licensed practical nurses by 2030, and a 9.3% increase in the construction industry over the same period.
The goal is to make sure every qualified student has a seat by 2033, MNTC Superintendent Brian Ruttman said.
“We are grateful to our community for continuing to invest in students and the future of our workforce,” Ruttman said. “This is a tremendous victory for our community.”
Eligible voters were residents in the MNTC district, which includes Norman, Moore and south Oklahoma City.
MNTC serves students from the five high schools in the Norman and Moore public school districts. It operates two campuses: the Franklin Road Campus in Norman and the South Penn Campus in Oklahoma City.
The $90 million bond proposal would result in a 1.25% property tax increase— about $40 per year for the average homeowner.
Image by Darko Stojanovic from Pixabay
