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With the decision on whether to call for a bond election looming, the Austin ISD board of trustees met for a few hours on a Saturday to comb through plans for the scope of work and financial ramifications of a potential $892 million district bond.
"Since our last bond program, the district's improvement needs have greatly outpaced our available resources," Superintendent Meria Carstarphen told trustees at the special meeting Feb. 23.
Trustees must approve an order calling for an election 71 days before the election date; the board is scheduled to vote on whether to call for a May bond election at its Feb. 25 meeting.
At its weekend meeting, the board worked to clarify the structure and language in the bond proposal that was developed by the district's Citizens' Bond Advisory Committee and vetted among the community during the past few months.
Board aims to streamline bond projects
The board also discussed how propositions for the bond will be organized. Trustee Robert Schneider proposed separating them into six propositions.
The CBAC originally suggested four propositions covering specific categories:
- Health, environment, equipment and technology;
- Safety and security, relief from overcrowded schools; new schools and new construction;
- Academic and building infrastructure renovations to safeguard investments in district campuses; and
- Support for academic initiatives, fine arts and athletics.
Trustee Ann Teich said community feedback indicates voters who are not in favor of the concept of a school for young men might not vote for a proposition that includes funding to renovate the Alternative Learning Center for the design.
Trustee Tamala Barksdale clarified that the board has already approved the school for young men, so the question is not whether plans for the school design will continue, but how funding for the project could be incorporated into the bond program. The board asked staff to develop a few proposition structure options it can choose from when it takes action Feb. 25.
The board also reached a consensus on adding a few items to the bond package, including $5 million for districtwide technology upgrades (bringing total technology funding additions to $85 million), $2.5 million for a dance studio at McCallum High School, and a $1.6 million proposal to add 200 seats to the theater at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders that was already included in the $883 million bond proposal.
Functional equity
Trustees also addressed improvements at specific campuses. Board member Amber Elenz asked whether some of the language in the bond could be unclear to voters.
Schneider said proposed improvements to Bowie High School's practice field, such as adding turf, lights and a well, would likely not be able to be implemented because of impervious cover issues.
He added that he would like to see bond funding allocated to technology upgrades increased to $85 million from $80.75 million.
"One of my continuing frustrations is that we significantly lag behind other districts and what they are doing with technology," Schneider said. "If we're looking at doing a bond of this size, it's going to be awhile before we go out with any other kind of bond."
Torres noted the circumstances for facilities needs can vary greatly and said that because of that, trustees should not consider the dollar amount of particular projects as a sole determining factor.
"I think we need to be very careful when we look at strictly dollars to define equity in this bond program," Torres said.
The board's Feb. 25 meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Carruth Administration Center Board Auditorium, Room B100, 1111 W. Sixth St.
