E-SPLOST Funds Bring New Life to Miles Elementary School

The hallways inside L.P. Miles Elementary School are literally brighter after a $11.8 million renovation project has transformed the school into a learning environment that students, teachers, and families can be proud to show up to.

“When our students, staff, and families walked into the halls of Miles ES, we were so excited,” Miles Elementary School Principal Thalise Perry said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony introducing the improved campus. “When you are in a more welcoming environment for students, they take pride in their learning. They’re engaged. When you see the students, the heads are not down anymore.”

Photos: Jessica Mynatt

The major renovations at Miles Elementary School included installing a new roof, replacing the HVAC system, replacing the fluorescent lights with LED lighting, repainting the walls, replacing old carpet with new floors, additional parking, increased fencing around the school property, and many other needed improvements.

The renovation at Miles was a part of a major infrastructure project under the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) E-SPLOST VI program in 2022. E-SPLOST is a special local option sales tax, where voters decide whether to approve a one penny sales tax that is applied to all retail purchases by anybody within those counties. Those funds are what supports APS’ capital investments such as renovations and construction projects, infrastructure, purchasing new buses, safety and security upgrades, and other long-term needs for the school district.

“This is a great example of APS putting E-SPLOST dollars to work, and what is possible when we do so,” APS Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dr. Adam Danser said. “Our focus, in doing that, is to remain focused on academic programming, enhancing the students’ experience and ensuring that our facilities are at the highest level for our students.”

After spending the 2025-2026 school year on the Connally Elementary School campus, the students and teachers at Miles Elementary School returned to a safer, brighter school more conducive to a positive learning environment. The facility, which was previously rated at 74%, has a 94% rating now.

“It’s important to us not just to be able to provide a great learning environment, but we also want to be able to staff it and resource it in a way that’s going to move the system forward,” APS Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson said. “As E-SPLOST continues to be a conversation, particularly over the next few weeks, and hopefully the next several years, we look forward to many more of these types of projects that allow our students, teachers, and leadership to continue to go forward and continue to position these students for the future.”

Facilities improvements, like the renovations at Miles Elementary School, are a major part of building a positive learning environment for students and fostering a school culture. APS is committed to finding ways to enhance the school experience for our students and staff who show up every day.

“As we look forward to 2040, APS has a very robust capital plan moving forward that is really focused on our comprehensive long-range facilities plan,” Danser said. “It includes a new build elementary school at A.D. Williams for the current Douglass feeder pattern students, renovations at Booker T. Washington High School, additions at Midtown and Maynard Jackson, activating a districtwide school for the arts, a medical magnet program, and many other major infrastructure renovations like what you’ve seen here in Miles.”

To find out more about the APS Forward 2040 Long Range Facilities plan, visit our website.