EAST MOLINE - Rock Island County School Districts have been able to rely on another source of funding to keep their buildings up to date.
In just eight months the changes are noticeable even from the outside.
"For the next 20 years this is something that`s off my plate and we can focus our attention on something else," said East Moline Superintendent, Kristin Humphries.
The East Moline School District is spending $11 million in construction work for all of its schools. After four tries, Rock Island County voters approved a one cent sales hike back in November.
"I`m just thankful that the community wants to invest so much in their schools in a time where nobody wants to pay a higher tax," said Humphries.
That construction work includes new windows, new roof, new lighting and for the first time ever, all the schools in the East Moline School District will have air conditioning.
It's money that the district wouldn't have had to update it's very old buildings.
"We have to do with what little money we have, now like a homeowner we`re able to do the things a good homeowner would do," said Humphries.
Students will walk into these newly improved buildings in just a couple weeks.
"It really gives us the opportunity to have a comfortable place to deliver that education and provide the best for our students," said Patrick Versluis, principal at Wells Elementary.
For the next school year, Superintendent Humphries says the district wants to work on transforming their classroom to 21st-century learning.