What we reported

FBISD staff will put together a 2018 bond program to accommodate the school district’s growth, Superintendent Charles Dupre announced in November. Using studies and assessments of the district’s facilities, building utilization, and population demographics, staff members will identify, prioritize and plan the necessary projects, district officials said.

The latest

The district’s finance team conducted a current tax rate analysis and forecast for future bond planning. Chief Financial Officer Steve Bassett indicated he believes the district can manage a future bond program without any change to the current debt service tax rate of $0.26 per $100 taxable value, FBISD spokesperson Amanda Bubela said.

What’s next

A bond oversight committee of community members and industry professionals will form early this year to keep track of the bond’s updates and progress before it goes to election in November, Bubela said. The committee will meet five times from February to June, and a final proposal for the bond program will be presented to the board of trustees in July, according to a preliminary schedule. This story is one update from The January Issue. View the full list of Top 5 stories to follow in 2018 here.