The Pasco School Board on Tuesday unanimously voted in favor of a $59 million bond election to be held April 26.

The board approved the measure in general terms in January, but had to finalize the exact language before Friday -- the deadline to file it with the county auditor.

If approved, the district expects $50 million in state matching money. It plans to build a new elementary school, a new middle school and a new early learning center.

The $109 million also will buy land for future schools, fix Stevens Middle School and Livingston Elementary School and relocate New Horizons High School.

There are plans to use some of the money to make other improvements.

The resolution says the projects include but are not limited to upgrading heating, air conditioning, mechanical and electrical systems and parking lots at Pasco High School, McLoughlin Middle School, McGee, Twain and Markham elementary schools and the Support Services Facility, as well as other related health, safety and infrastructure improvements as needed.

The bond would cost homeowners 95 cents per $1,000 in assessed value, or $95 for a $100,000 home.

If the bond passes, construction on the new elementary school would begin in June and would be done in summer 2012. The middle school and the early learning center would be finished by summer 2014.

All three schools would be in west Pasco.

Also Tuesday:

-- The school board met for a study session earlier in the afternoon to talk about hiring teachers for the next school year.

While the discussion was mostly short on details, Associate Superintendent Dennis Maguire said that new requirements from the state for end-of-year tests in math, force the district to hire more math teachers.