However, district officials called a $649.5 million bond they said would help preserve the small-school feel GISD families appreciate, including allocating funding for a third comprehensive high school.
“[People] come [to GISD] because we’ve made the choice to ... try to keep our schools more community feeling,” said former Trustee Andy Webb, head of the Vote Yes for Georgetown political action committee. “They can come here and have opportunities.”
Current situation
This is the district’s largest bond package to ever go before voters. Appearing on the May 4 ballot, the $649.5 million proposal is spread out over four propositions, with the biggest chunk of the proposed funding going toward building a new elementary, middle and high school.
This comes as the district is projected to grow by about 500 students in the 2024-25 school year, Superintendent Devin Padavil said during his state of the district address in February.
“If we do not have additional facilities, we will have at least six of our schools over capacity,” he said. “The only solution to that is to put a farm of portable buildings outside of our schools, or have additional buildings for our kids to have the appropriate size.”
Padavil said this growth is fueling more frequent bond elections. This is the fourth bond election the district has called in the last 10 years, whereas it only held two in the 15 years prior.
If the district were not experiencing such rapid growth in a short period of time, he said officials would likely be able to configure existing buildings and projects from the previous bond to meet existing needs.
“Georgetown is the fastest-growing community in the country,” Padavil said. “The consequences of not keeping up are significant.”
The bond package district officials are proposing would raise the existing tax rate by one penny per $100 valuation, election filings show.
Years expected enrollment exceeds campus capacity
2023-24
- East View High School
- Wagner Middle School
- Wolf Ranch Elementary School
- Mitchell Elementary School
- Williams Elementary School
- Tippit Middle School
Trustees ordered the bond based on a recommendation from the district’s citizen advisory committee, or CAC, which unanimously agreed a bond would be in the district’s best interests.
Some community members have also expressed support for the bond, citing an interest in the net benefit to the community as a whole.
Sun City residents Jim and Dianna Watters said they are planning to vote in favor of all four propositions and feel called to give back to their community by supporting public schools.
“We may not have our own kids in the school system here, but you don’t lose your feeling for children when you retire,” Jim Watters said.
Betty Schleder, another Sun City resident, said she would support the bond because she believes investing in schools will ultimately improve the greater Georgetown community and entice more people to move to the area.
GISD parent Ami Glover said while she generally supports the bond, she wishes the district was more transparent about the specific projects and costs associated with each proposition.
“I don’t expect them to follow the hard lines,” Glover said. “I don’t think anyone does. But it would be nice to know.”
The breakdown
If approved, the four-proposition bond will allow for the construction of new campuses, needed renovations and other capital improvements.
Padavil said in addition to the new schools, Proposition A will allow for some renovation at all GISD campuses, including installing safety measures, such as secure entrances, as well as purchasing new buses to replace old ones. He said these new buses will have seat belts to secure riders in the case of an accident.
Proposition B will also allow for the replacement of student and teacher devices. Landon Heflin, GISD’s chief of technology and innovation, said over 50% of devices are in need of replacement due to both age and condition.
Propositions C and D would fund an expansion of the performing arts center as well as weight and locker rooms at East View High School. Padavil said student participation in these extracurriculars has increased by 38% in recent years.
Proposition A, $597.47 million: school facilities, capital improvements, safety and security
- Design and construction of High School No. 3: $356 million
- Design and construction of Middle School No. 5: $106.05 million
- Design and construction of Elementary School No. 12: $66.57 million
- Renovation of the old Benold Middle School as the new Frost Elementary School: $38.4 million
- Renovations to campuses, upgrades and purchases of new equipment: $28.18 million
- Purchase 15 new school buses: $2.27 million
- Replacement of and new staff and student devices: $18.49 million
- Technology infrastructure improvements, such as phone systems, data center, firewall and electronics: $1.48 million
- Replacement of printers: $363,000
- Construction of a performing arts center at East View High School: $26 million
- Maintenance of Klett Performing Arts Center: $1.5 million
- Replacement of fine arts concert attire and uniforms: $350,000
- Renovate and expand EVHS Field House, repair track at Georgetown High School: $3.86 million
Looking ahead
Should the bond pass, GISD will levy an additional one cent per $100 valuation on properties within its boundaries.
Should the bond fail, Padavil said the district would likely need to adjust boundaries again for a second year in a row to buy enough time for the district to put forth another bond proposal.
The district cannot self-fund the projects otherwise, he said.
Webb said he believes the bond is the best way to address student and district needs.
“It’s no secret that we’re growing in leaps and bounds,” Webb said. “These kids are going to have to exist somewhere. Could we put them in portables? Yes. But does that contribute to a quality learning experience? I don’t feel it does.”
