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vary across its boundaries with much of the growth expected to occur in the northern portion of the district while the southern portion dwindles. “The challenge is how do we add new facilities in the north to manage the growth there, but also how do we remain scally responsible utilizing our facilities as best as we can in the center and the south of the district,” Superintendent Bruce Gearing said. This is the second bond election for LISD in less than two years. The district called for a bond election in November 2021, asking voters to decide on a $772 million package to fund a variety of projects similar to the ones laid out in the latest proposal. Voters passed one of the three propositions on that ballot. “That caused us to really pause and re-evaluate what it is that we needed to do,” LISD Superintendent Bruce Gearing said. Capital improvements The May bond package has three propositions. Proposition A includes $698.33 million in funding for facilities, school buses and vehicles. It includes
two new schools—Elementary School No. 31 for $71.4 million and Elemen- tary School No. 32 for $79.9 million— to be constructed in LISD’s growing northern section. Money could also go to repurposing facilities to the tune of $37 million-$50 million, transforming elementary schools projected to be under capacity into early childhood centers, a professional learning center or a relocated New Hope High School. Modernization projects, mean- while, would involve replacing car- pet; ooring; ceilings; lights; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; and furniture at several campuses. Trish Bode, board president, said many of these items stem from past failed bond proposals and were brought back after receiving commu- nity input. She added modernization projects are important for safety and security at schools in addition to sav- ing money spent on maintenance. “There was a revisit of, ‘Let’s make sure when we go to the community that we’re looking at things we need,
that we’re being responsible with tax dollars,’ and this is that result,” she said. “I would say there’s more of a need because these items are aging, and we’ve got some newer things on here that weren’t there last time.” In Proposition B, LISD would secure $50.82 million for technology equipment and infrastructure. Projects include refreshing and upgrading the district’s network, providing second-grade students with Chromebooks, and replacing LISD’s network server. When the community approved one of the three 2021 propositions, it authorized LISD to spend $33.3 million on the replacement of technology and interactive panels in each classroom. However, the funding to install those panels would have been paid for by a failed proposition. “In this bond we’ve actually taken all of the technology pieces—the end-user devices, including those interactive panels, and all the infrastructure that’s required to install them—and put all of that into Proposition B,” Gearing said.
Leander ISD’s upcoming bond proposal would authorize the funding for 62 projects throughout the district. WHAT’S IN THE BOND
PROPOSITION A
Total: $698.33M 52 school facility, transportation and infrastructure projects
$328.41M: modernization/ repurposing projects $193.53M: new facilities $66.66M: transportation- related projects $49.13M: design projects for construction/remodeling $43.68M: facility renovations/turf installations $10.66M: security/ cybersecurity measures $6.27M: music instrument replacement
ADDRESSING CAPACITY PROJECTIONS
PROPOSITION B
183A TOLL
Total: $50.82M 8 projects related to technology equipment
With student populations in the northern portion of the district set to increase and populations in the south shrinking, the district is looking to use funding from Proposition A to maximize space on existing campuses while keeping the neighborhood school model. The district will use factors, including enrollment and community feedback, to identify which facilities could be better utilized.
1431
$18M: interactive panel installation
$2.2M: interactive panel/ AV for nonclassrooms $7.86M: student/ sta device refresh $7M: second broadband network node $13.64M: internet network refresh and upgrades
90%-99% Projected elementary school utilization, October 2032-33
110%-119% >120%
<80% 80%-89%
100%-109%
620
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CONSIDERED FOR REPURPOSING The district originally identied eight centrally located elementary schools and three southern schools for potential repurposing. Under that plan, the campuses could have become early childhood learning centers, a professional learning center or a new high school, if the bond passes. However, following community concerns, Superintendent Bruce Gearing said in an April 4 meeting that if the bond passes the district would not be required to repurpose entire schools.
2222
$1.2M: server and storage replacement $800K: 2nd-grade Chromebooks $121K: CTE Mobile Maker labs
N
The district updated its Long Range Plan on April 18 to re¤ect a new timeline for optimizing facilities, which includes an extended community input period. The plan is guided by the following parameters:
NEXT STEPS
• long-term stability • access to options • maximizing the use of facilities
• deferring future construction • honoring the neighborhood school concept when possible
PROPOSITION C
2 performing arts centers renovations
$6.84M: Don Tew Performing Arts Center modernization $6.84M: South Performing Arts Center modernization Total: $13.67M
Mid-2023-mid-2024: The district will solicit additional community input and analyze updated demographic data, and a committee will dene and rene what optimizing opportunities for facilities looks like.
202425: Elementary School
202528: Optimization opportunities funded by the May 2023 bond, if passed, could occur at some elementary campuses.
Fall 2023: The zoning process for Elementary School No. 30 would occur to be eective fall 2024.
No. 30 opens. The school is funded from previous project savings.
SOURCE: LEANDER ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: NUMBERS MAY NOT EQUAL TOTAL DUE TO ROUNDING.
SOURCE: LEANDER ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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