After 20 years in debt, the Coweta County School system is getting ready to be debt-free.

School spokesperson Dean Jackson said the school sold its first set of bonds in 1987 to expand the rapidly-growing school system. In 1998 and 2002, the school system consolidate all its bonds into two issues with more favorable interest rates.

“There will be some bonds that we can’t retire until next January or February, and then we’ll be debt free,” said Jackson.

In 1997, the school system started using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds to fund capital projects. The second SPLOST expired June 30, and officials are expecting to have collected nearly $85 million during its run. The sales tax built Willis Road, Grantville and Welch Elementary Schools, Lee Middle School, and major school expansion and improvement projects at many schools, including the three high schools, the Central Educational Center, Ruth Hill and others. The new SPLOST started July 1.