Student enrollment in HISD has grown substantially in recent years, and data projections show the trend will continue: it is expected to nearly double from 9,688 to 18,240 by the 2032-33 school year.
The bond aims to help accommodate growth by funding the construction of two new elementary schools as well as upgrades and expansions to campuses across the district.
District officials said the improvements would bring long-term relief as well as more immediate help for campuses already nearing capacity, and they estimate that several Hutto ISD campuses could meet capacity within the next two school years.
“This is a very consequential decision,” said Henry Gideon, HISD assistant superintendent of operations. “We are a bit behind [on addressing capacity], and it’s up to the voting public to decide if we can get where we need to be.”What is included
The bond is split into three propositions that voters will consider separately. Proposition A—the largest of the three at $471.5 million—will fund most of the major campus projects.
The most expensive projects include the construction of two new elementary schools in the southern part of the district and converting the district’s Ninth Grade Center to a comprehensive high school. Together, those projects account for $313 million of Proposition A.
The proposition also contains expansions and upgrades to several existing schools as well as land acquisition for future projects and deferred maintenance projects. Upgrades include the replacement of heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems.
The district projects by the 2024-25 school year, five HISD campuses will be overcapacity, necessitating the use of portables to alleviate more crowded classrooms.
For that reason, HISD officials and other proponents of the bond package maintain creating more space for students is a crucial priority.
Ashley Rendon, an HISD parent who served on the district’s Long-Term Facilities Advisory Committee, said the new schools will help tackle the district’s approaching capacity issue.
“We just don’t have enough room for the students we have right now in the district,” Rendon said. “To get back on track, we’ll need new schools.”
Proposition B comprises $10.5 million for new instructional technology devices, such as classroom computers and audio-video equipment.
At $40 million, Proposition C would fund the renovation of the administrative building that will remain at 200 College St. into a districtwide academic center with space for the disciplinary alternative education program, River Horse Academy, and the special education 18+ program.
Trustee Shannon Jacobs said having dedicated spaces for those programs would improve conditions for HISD students who are struggling.
“Some of our most at-risk kids are in portables,” Jacobs said. “To me, [the academic center] could really benefit and help those kids to not feel like second class.”
District administrators and the advisory committee also proposed several more bond items that did not make it into the final proposal, including $45 million for teacher housing and $70 million for a districtwide performing arts center.
Ultimately, trustees voted in January to approve only the items in propositions A, B and C for the May 6 election, expressing they wanted to focus on the most vital projects.
“I’m not too keen on the teacher housing just because I have no idea what that looks like,” Trustee Terrence Owens said. “We only spend money when we need it.”
A flat tax rate
District officials said even if voters approve all three bond propositions, HISD will not have to raise its tax rate of $1.3929 to pay off the bond.
Chief Financial Officer Glenn Graham said by staggering projects over a period of several years as they become necessary, the district will have the funding it needs to make bond payments with the existing debt service, or interest and sinking, tax rate of $0.45.
Graham said due to rising property valuations and Hutto’s growing population, the district’s tax base is growing quickly enough to offset any need for a higher tax rate.
However, those same rising property values mean even with an unchanged tax rate, property owners can expect to pay more in HISD taxes.
As HISD’s tax base grows to rival those of larger neighboring districts, Graham said HISD could have more flexibility in how it approaches its finances.
“If [growth] continues, we could start seeing property bases like a Round Rock or a Pflugerville,” Graham said. “Therefore, it’s possible—and I’m not making any promises or guarantees—it’s possible that we can pay for all this debt and then still lower our tax rate.”
What happens next
Should voters approve the bond, officials said it would likely take around three years before any of the new campuses are complete.
Gideon said lengthy design processes and delays in the construction industry mean even if the bond is approved, relief is unlikely to come until one or two years after many campuses reach capacity.
“For a little while, we’re going to see portables,” Gideon said. “For a little while, we’re going to see crowded conditions on the campuses because we’re just a little bit behind.”
Should the bond fail to pass, Gideon said the district would need to utilize portable classrooms as a longer-term solution while officials search for other ways to fund school construction.
Gideon said portable classrooms would continue to ensure a safe learning environment, but the cost would have to come out of the district’s operating budget. He estimated portables would cost around $200,000 each with market conditions.
Meanwhile, in the months leading up to the election, district officials are focused on educating community members and setting expectations. In March, the district held a series of public information sessions where district officials spoke with community members about the bond. District officials have also spoken at numerous events since calling the bond election.
“It’s going to be incumbent on us to rub some leather off the bottom of our shoes and get out there and talk to our public,” Gideon said. “The picture we want the public to understand is not, ‘Sell the bonds, and next year we’re opening a school.’”
