What you need to know
According to district documents, the proposed bond package was created after a review of NEISD facilities, enrollment trends and instructional needs.
Bond funds will be used for:
- Renovating and repairing existing school buildings
- Enhancing campus safety and security systems
- Improving fine arts, athletics and extracurricular spaces
- Upgrading instructional technology and classroom equipment
Bond projects were selected after a review by a facilities steering committee, which was formed in December 2024. The committee consisted of parents, community members and NEISD staff.
Though the bond is set to raise $495 million for the district, according to district documents, there will be no increase to the current tax rate for at least five years.
Teri Chidgey, vice president of the NEISD Board of Trustees, said the facilities steering committee worked diligently to keep the bond low enough so that it didn’t raise taxes for residents.
“It was very important to [the committee] to keep [the bond] down to a similar amount of the bond issued 10 years ago, even with all of the inflation,” Chidgey said. “So quite honestly, there were more things that I wanted on there, but...they were serious [about keeping] it down to where it did not raise taxes."
Prior to the vote, Chidgey also stressed that this bond wasn’t to build luxury accommodations, but to provide the necessary essentials.
“I don't want to be the board that's on the news because our air conditioners or heaters are out, as we've seen around the city,” Chidgey said. “I want to take care of our children. That doesn't mean we're going to build a Playland Park, but it does mean we're going to keep them cool in the 100 degree weather and keep them warm.”
District 2 Trustee Tracie Shelton expressed reservations about Proposition B, which included a desire for additional information, such as who the vendors were for each option, what was included in each proposal and whether leasing may be a better option instead of purchasing new equipment.
Shelton also said she was concerned that students from alternative schools would not receive Chromebooks due to $145,000 being cut from the bond.
“I am uncomfortable with Proposition B... we said earlier we can create a policy that helps the kiddos and have the Chromebooks follow the kids,” Shelton said. “I need us to create a policy for that. We have to make sure that those kids, those students, have the same level of access and material that the other students that are in our other campuses [have].”
Sean Maika, NEISD superintendent, assured Shelton that the district will always strive to provide the same resources to students across the district.
“We are going to absolutely make certain that students at our alternative school have the exact same type of devices and functionality that every other student in our district is afforded,” Maika said.
The vote to call a bond election passed 6-1, with District 7 Trustee Marsha Landry voting against.
Stay tuned
NEISD will hold community meetings prior to the vote to provide as many opportunities for residents to ask questions about the bond. Registered voters that live within the NEISD boundaries are eligible to vote on the bond election Nov. 4.
