In a nutshell
The funds will go to projects such as school and technology upgrades, land and site development for a new elementary school, updates to the Tomball High School stadium and multiprogram activity centers at three high schools, according to prior reporting.
“These developments are poised to positively impact student learning environments and the overall quality of education within our community, all without increasing the total district tax rate,” TISD Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora said in a May 8 email to Community Impact.
Work on the district’s second pre-K campus, the new Tomball Intermediate School campus and multiprogram activity centers are projected to begin this year, according to a TISD presentation on the 2025 bond projects.
In response to when bond funds would be received, TISD Chief Financial Officer Zack Boles the district is working with its financial advisor to determine the best time to issue bond funds, given market conditions.
“We will look to enter the market sometime this summer. However, the district can begin bond 2025 projects and be reimbursed once bond proceeds are received,” Boles said in a May 8 email to Community Impact.
How we got here
The TISD school board began talking about the bond package during a Jan. 13 workshop meeting. At the time, the recommendation from the bond steering committee included five propositions, or potentially $529.68 million.
That price of the originally proposed bond package was cut down by $100 million in a Feb. 3 workshop. By prioritizing certain projects, the school board was able to bring the total of the bond package down to $429.9 million. At the trimmed-down price, the school board avoided the potential of a tax rate increase.
During its Feb. 11 meeting, the school board voted unanimously to call for the school bond election, officially putting the $429.1 million bond package on the May 3 ballot for voters to decide.
What’s next
Boles said the final timeline for projects is still in the works, but for now, the work on 2025 bond projects is expected to last through 2030.
