The Bryan ISD board of trustees unanimously approved a contract March 2 with PBK Sports to provide design and construction administration services for athletics projects outlined in BISD’s 2025 bond package.
Trustees gave unanimous approval of the plan to renew BISD’s district of innovation designation, which the district first piloted more than a decade ago.
The action taken
The contract with PBK includes design and construction administration services for athletics projects specified in the 2025 package, such as the rebuild of the Merrill Green fieldhouse.
According to BISD officials, the contract totals $89,242,553 and will be funded by 2025 bond funds.
“This is the very first piece of the puzzle so that everything else can start to unfold,” Superintendent Ginger Carrabine said during the meeting. “There’s a tremendous amount of excitement in the community. This is just Step 1 for this all to begin. ... Thank you to our voters for making this a possibility.”
Some context
Voters in BISD approved a $397 million bond package in November with three propositions focused on funding safety, maintenance, transportation, fine arts and facility upgrades, as well as athletics improvements and instructional technology enhancements, according to district information. The bond’s approval has no impact on BISD’s overall tax rate, according to the district.
The district expects to receive the first portion of its 2025 bond funds this summer so that construction on projects can commence, Community Impact previously reported.
Also on the agenda
Trustees also unanimously approved renewing BISD’s district of innovation plan, a distinction which gives the district local flexibility in complying with state laws for aspects such as:
- When the first day of instruction is
- Teacher certification
- Minimum attendance required for course credit
- Class sizes in kindergarten through fourth grade
- The complaint resolution process
- Oversight of campus libraries
The approved plan is identical to what has been approved previously by the board of trustees since BISD first obtained the designation, Barbara Ybarra, associate superintendent of teaching and learning, said during the meeting. The plan must be renewed every five years.
The district of innovation designation was first offered by the 84th Texas Legislature in 2015, giving school districts more flexibility at the local level. Trustees’ approval March 2 is the second time BISD has renewed its district of innovation plan, Ybarra said.
“It’s been in place and functioning well for over a decade at this point,” she said.
