According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Comal County grew from 119,632 residents in 2015 to 135,097 residents in 2018. CISD serves all of Comal County as well as portions of Bexar, Guadalupe, Hays and Kendall counties—all of which have experienced population growth since 2015, according to the census bureau.
Voters approved bonds in 2015 and 2017 that included the construction of Danville Middle School, Pieper Ranch Middle School, Davenport High School, High School No. 5 and other improvement projects. The 2020 bond will include two propositions, which have been discussed by the CISD board of trustees and the Comal Forward Committee.
“These committees are an extension of us as a board,” board President Jason York said of the Comal Forward Commitee. “They’re my eyes and ears.”
The first proposition will include funds to build two elementary schools and one middle school that will serve to relieve overcrowding at several existing schools. It also includes a budget for capital projects, technology and security improvements, land acquisition and new buses. “It’s an approach of making sure that the areas of growth are the first ones addressed,” York said.
“Facilities shouldn’t hinder a student’s success,” said Steve Stanford, CISD director of communications and a member of the Comal Forward Committee.
In addition to Proposition 1, the bond will include a second proposal that would fund the creation of a new event center. The center would include space for hosting events, such as graduation, extracurricular activities and prom.
“With Proposition 2, we feel that we as a growing district are at the point of needing a true event center that can house all of our extracurriculars,” York said.
Many parents have to travel far outside the district for their children’s events and activities, an issue that would be addressed by a local event center, York said.
“We feel an event center will impact every one of our students,” York said. “We have so much to offer, but we have parents traveling five to six days a week.”
The board of trustees will finalize the bond package early this year, and it will be included in the May election when the public may vote on both propositions separately. The bond total for both propositions currently stands at $339.2 million.
“We want to do the most we can to tend to the growth we’re experiencing,” York said. “But we do have to protect the tax dollars.”
