The bond would fund projects to meet the district’s growth and infrastructure needs, TISD Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora said.
Among the proposals are the construction of multiprogram activity centers at three high schools and athletic upgrades—projects that were opposed by voters in 2021.
District officials said they chose to hold the bond election in May instead of November to account for limited construction windows, delivery times for materials and rising costs due to inflation.
TISD Chief Financial Officer Zack Boles said the bond shouldn’t impact TISD’s total tax rate of $1.06 per $100 valuation because it falls within the district’s $430 million debt capacity.
What you need to know
The four bond propositions will be voted on separately May 3. Proposition A is the most expensive at $331.6 million and focuses on refreshing aging campuses and facilities to adjust for student growth, TISD officials said.
Proposition B allocates approximately $18 million to upgrade technology for staff and students.
Proposition C is the least costly at an estimated $2.8 million and aims to upgrade Tomball High School’s football stadium.
Proposition D is $76.7 million and proposes building multiprogram activity centers at Tomball, Tomball Memorial and Tomball West high schools. Voters rejected the school district’s attempt to build the facilities during the 2021 election by 417 votes, according to prior reporting.
TISD officials said they hope to complete these projects with bond funds so the school district doesn’t have to dip into its general operating budget, which Salazar-Zamora said could affect day-to-day operations.
“Without the funds approved by the community for these projects, the district will have to access local budget dollars that are in place to provide high-quality instruction and to recruit and retain the highest quality staff,” Salazar-Zamora said in an email statement.
TISD has three major projects left from the 2021 bond, with the final $100 million allocated to complete West Intermediate School, Tomball West High School and the fifth-grade addition at Creekside Park Junior High, Boles said.
While the 2021 bond supported program expansions and funded facilities such as the Tomball Innovation Center, Boles said TISD faced challenges, including a 32% rise in construction costs two years after the bond passed.
What else?
Boles said he believes TISD takes a conservative approach to taking on debt.
The school district has issued more than $1 billion in debt since 2008 without increasing the total tax rate. Boles also said the district has reduced the tax rate to its lowest level in the past 30 years.
As required by Texas law, the statement “This is a property tax increase,” must be included on TISD voter ballots, regardless of the bond’s impact on the tax rate, because the district is taking on more debt if the bond were to pass.
- “I feel that the latest bond election is another example of Tomball ISD putting the cart before the horse.” —Robert Hughes, 8-year Tomball resident
- “[TISD] lives up to their promises, and I know their heart. ... [The 2025 bond] is really to bring up to standard some aging facilities. ... We’ve got to adjust and assess what’s best for students.” —Bruce Hillegeist, president, Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce
- “The multiuse facilities at each high school, I don’t think that’s going to make it. ... The sports people want it, the band people, they want it. ... How does that impact the education of those kids? I think [Proposition] D is going to have some challenges.” —Gary Boudreaux, bond steering committee member
- “I have a huge problem with them allocating $38 million for land intended for a new school that may or may not be necessary by 2029. While TISD has been a rapidly growing district, growth is projected to slow down.” —Megan Jasper, 15-year Tomball resident
If all bond propositions pass, the district anticipates the following timeline, according to TISD officials:
Note: This timeline assumes all 2025 bond propositions pass.
2025
- May 3: Election day
- Summer: Construction would begin on 2025 bond projects
- Fall: All 2021 bond projects completed
- Summer: Early Excellence Academy-South opens
- Summer/fall: New Tomball Intermediate School, multiprogram activity centers open
- Summer/fall: Upgrades to athletic facilities, safety/security and technology completed; Connections Academy renovation completed
- Winter: All 2025 bond projects completed
