Lake Travis ISD's bond advisory committee presented details about a potential $703 million bond for three new schools and several other projects in the district at the June 15 board meeting.

The bond proposal is not finalized, and more line-by-line details on spending will be released in coming meetings. The board must make a decision on whether to hold a bond election by Aug. 22, Committee Member Dana Rieder said.

The following projects were outlined in the presentation:

• new high school—$236,430,617;
• new Elementary School No. 8—$50,917,526;
• new Elementary School No. 9—$55,517,521;
• Lake Travis High School additions and upgrades—$84,732,969;
• campus and district renovations and improvements—$166,409,289 (includes current elementary schools and middle schools);
• facilities condition assessment projects—$38,746,968;
• technology—$55,245,110; and
• land—$15 million.

The bond represents a long-term project that would plan for the next five years, according to the district. A more detailed look at what some of these projects could entail is available in a presentation from the committee’s fourth meeting, located on the district’s website.

For example, Bee Cave Elementary School has several projects listed, such as replacing millwork throughout the campus, widening lanes to the pickup and drop-off parking lot, improving access from Hamilton Pool Road and adding adult restrooms. These details are not final and are subject to change as the bond process continues.

The committee was a “cross-section” of the community, Committee Member Christy Casey-Moore said. Including teachers, community members, administration, students, alumni, retirees and others, the committee held six separate meetings to explore the needs of the district. In these meetings, committee members learned about school finance, were taken on facility tours and given presentations from different district officials, among other activities.

“When we think about these bonds, what I want the community to know when they listen to this, this is not bond money that’s going to be spent in the next year,” Rieder said. “This is a five-year project. Over the next five years, let’s use this money to go ahead and make it better for our students.”

The land for Elementary School No. 8 was purchased at the May school board meeting, at 4528 Bee Creek Road, Spicewood. Future meetings will continue to flesh out the details of the projects in the bond, including where and how money will be spent, Rieder said. The next school board meeting is July 20.

“This amount gives the district everything they would need for the next five years to make the district better and continue to be a destination district,” Rieder said.