Coppell ISD officials announced the district will use $20.7 million remaining from a 2016 bond to fund six new projects ranging from technology to food service.

The projects were announced by Chief Financial Officer Diana Sircar and Chief Operations Officer Christ Trotter during an Aug. 7 workshop.

Zooming in

Below are the projects listed by category, according to the district’s release:

  • $844,000 for transportation to fund the purchase of six new 77-passenger buses for the district that include the CISD specifications of cameras and stop signs
  • $248,000 for fine arts to fund Coppell High School auditorium lights and classroom furniture for the CHS theatre classrooms, middle school band and choir concert uniforms, and replacement kilns for Pinkerton and Austin Elementary schools
  • $5.07 million for security/technology to continue to fund safety and security enhancements including expanding video surveillance at Coppell High School Ninth Grade Campus and the CISD Service Center, and adding additional cameras at CISD campuses
  • $8.66 million for technology to fund new iPads for kindergarten to fifth grade students, new devices for CISD staff and upgrades to the CISD boardroom sound system
  • $785,000 for maintenance to fund lifts and other equipment in facilities maintenance and operations
  • $2.14 million for food services to fund two food warmers, a new freezer and additional equipment for child nutrition services

A closer look

The cost of these projects would add up to a total of about $17.75 million. As for the remaining amount, $1 million will be paid to the IRS and $700,000 will be used for some of the bond’s projects from 2016.

During the meeting, trustees discussed potential uses of the remaining $1.3 million, which were listed in the release:

  • Adding additional cameras to school buses beyond the current three cameras
  • Exploring fencing options for CISD elementary schools
  • Additional opportunities for equity among UIL programs in the district

Zooming out

The original 2016 bond cost a total of $249 million, with $146 million of the budget being used for campus expansion and improvements and the construction of three new campuses, to address the district’s enrollment growth. Normally, the majority—around 85%—of bond funds are expected to be spent after a three-year period; however the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in spending. The bond wasn’t finalized until 2019, meaning that the five-year deadline is now set to be May 23, 2024.