What’s happening?
The bond includes propositions for a new high school, two new elementary schools and a natatorium at a time when MISD is addressing increasing growth across its schools, officials said.
“We need seats for ... students,” said Erich Morris, MISD’s assistant superintendent of operations.
Proposition A addresses growth in the district.
“Within two years, Magnolia West High School will be at or over capacity ... in approximately three years, more than half of MISD schools will be near or at capacity,” Morris said.
Proposition B focuses on the facilities for the district’s extracurricular activities, including artificial turf for baseball and softball fields, expanded seating and tennis court lighting at both existing high schools to match the construction standards of the new High School No. 3, according to the district.
Proposition C is for the construction of a second natatorium to serve Magnolia West High School and High School No. 3, which is expected to open in fall 2029, according to district officials.
“We anticipate even more rapid growth due to the new developments in the area, and ... that is the primary driver for the bond,” Morris said.
Morris said MISD successfully passed bonds in 2004, 2015 and 2022.
“There’s no mechanism to generate enough revenue to pay for new facilities other than the attractive approach of selling bonds,” Morris said in response to why the school district would bring a bond to the ballot.
Per district officials, projects in the proposed bond can be funded with the existing tax rate, which will not increase as a result of the bond.
Rachael Ervin, a Magnolia resident and MISD parent, served on the district’s facility planning committee for this proposed bond.
“I want the school district to be able to keep up with the growth that it’s facing. ... This bond will positively impact every student in our district one way or another,” Ervin said.
Magnolia resident Sarah Pitre said she is concerned about the bond’s impact on property taxes due to the increased construction if it were to pass. Pitre said her personal property taxes have gone up 40% in the last seven years, which is partially why she plans to vote against the bond.
“What it is is an increase on top of an already taxed and in some cases struggling population that is just trying to hang on,” Pitre said.
Over the past 10 years, Morris said MISD has seen about a 10% average annual increase in taxable property value. Morris also said the district understands that the value within its taxing entity will continue to grow based on economic development, which is why part of MISD’s calculation is anticipating continued property value growth.
- “We’ve already grown 3% this year. We are already ahead of the demographic projection for this year in terms of student enrollment group.” —Erich Morris, assistant superintendent of operations, Magnolia ISD
- “You see all of the new high schools going in with these super high-tech football stadiums and sports facilities and turf ... meanwhile, the citizens of Magnolia proper that are going to be taxed for these funds are struggling to just stay in their homes.” —Sarah Pitre, Magnolia resident
The decision to call for a bond came after a recommendation from the district’s facility planning committee, made up of 50 community members, parents, business leaders and elected officials.
Should the bond not pass, Morris said the district would be forced into difficult decision-making to respond to the rapid student enrollment growth, such as shifting existing boundaries or adding portable buildings.
While this bond package goes to November ballots, MISD opened two new schools in August as part of its 2022 bond projects—Magnolia Parkway Intermediate School and Magnolia Parkway Junior High School.
Updates to MISD’s baseball and softball fields also appeared on the ballot for the 2022 bond, but voters denied it at the time, as it failed to pass with 60.36% of votes in opposition, according to prior reporting.
Stay tuned
If all bond propositions pass, the district anticipates the following timeline, according to MISD officials:
Note: This timeline assumes all bond propositions pass.
2025
- Oct. 20: Early voting begins
- Nov. 4: Election Day
- Late fall: Work set to begin on bond projects
- Fall: Elementary No. 10 opens
- Fall: Elementary No. 11 opens
- Fall: High School No. 3 opens
- All projects anticipated to be completed
