An online survey, which opened July 1, is available through July 18 to collect feedback from current students, parents or guardians, district employees, alumni, local business owners and community members without children in the district, according to the district’s website.
The snapshot
According to the website, the proposed bond package could feature four separate propositions, including :
- Proposition A: New schools and campus improvements
- Proposition B: Technology upgrades for staff and district operations
- Proposition C: A 1:1 student device initiative for grades 3-12
- Proposition D: Traylor Stadium improvements
How we got here
A citizens bond committee met on June 10 to approve the projects, said Chief Operations Officer Greg Buchannan at the June 17 board meeting.
Since then, Buchanan said Lamar CISD administrators recommend dropping plans for a $41 million fine arts facility from the proposal over concerns that the facility could not serve the entire district.
Instead, administrators recommend reallocating $26.7 million toward safety and infrastructure repairs at Guy K. Traylor Stadium, which voters had rejected in 2023. The stadium repairs would include bleacher replacements, ADA-compliant bathrooms and a scoreboard, Buchanan said.
The revised bond would still support new school construction, technology enhancements and a 1:1 student laptop initiative, Buchanan said.
The funding
Chief Financial Officer Jill Ludwig said that although the 2025 bond ballot may mention a "tax increase" due to legal requirements, administrators project the bond can be issued without raising the current debt service tax rate of $0.48 per $100 valuation for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
If approved by voters, the bond would increase the district’s outstanding debt from $3 billion to approximately $5 billion, repaid over nearly 35 years, with sales issued in four phases beginning in 2026, Ludwig said.
Next steps
The school board is expected to review the survey results and consider calling the bond election at the Aug. 12 board meeting, Chief Communications Officer Cole-Hamilton said at the June 17 meeting. Trustees must call the election by Aug. 18, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s website, for it to be placed on the Nov. 4 ballot.
