A look back In the last two decades, Fort Bend ISD has passed four bonds totaling $2.21 billion. At the district’s Aug. 15 board meeting, o cials announced their intentions to postpone a previously discussed November bond and instead focus on a voter-approval tax rate election.
The coronavirus pandemic begins.
Phase 2 bond does not make it to the ballot.
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Spring: FBISD announces intent for a bond and VATRE for November. Fall: FBISD postpones the bond to May 2023 and calls a VATRE for the Nov. 8 election.
Voters approve a $993 million bond. District o cials decide to bring another bond forward in 2021 supplementary projects.
The Texas Legislature passes House Bill 3 to provide more money for classrooms, increase teacher pay, reduce recapture and cut local property taxes.
SOURCES: FORT BEND ISD, POPULATION AND SURVEY ANALYSTS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
The proposed bond would have provided:
KEY AREAS OF CONCERN
Guinn said. Though still in the works, to achieve these cuts, FBISD is consid- ering reducing 353 positions over the next several years, abandoning some programs and consolidating schools. The reduced positions would come from not rehiring people to ll turned over positions. As FBISD continues to nd ways to cut spending to maintain its budget, the district is also considering meth- ods to address priority facility needs in the interim before the May 2023 bond election, district o cials said. ‘Evolving discussions’ The decision to push the bond to May 2023 came after district o cials realized the bond oversight com- mittee was unable to decide on the
November bond e ort, Guinn said. Also, having a VATRE in the same election as a bond—which would be split into three propositions—could confuse voters and jeopardize the success of both, Bassett said. Key to the $1.18 billion postponed bond package included $1.064 billion in major facility projects, including renovations and rebuilds, new schools, safety and security, and technology, per district documents. A $222.8 million Clements High School project was the most expen- sive project earmarked in the pro- posed bond, which would include demolishing the existing building, and rebuilding it with an updated design and more capacity. The post- poned bond also listed rebuilds of Mis- sion Bend and Briargate elementary
Facilities: $1.064B
Technology updates
Aging facilities The average age of FBISD facilities is 25 years old.
Over 70,000 students receive technology services in FBISD.
Total $1.18B
Technology: $100M
Other: $15.5M
Overcrowding From 2022-31, FBISD is projected to see an 11% increase in the number of elementary students.
SOURCES: FORT BEND ISD, POPULATION AND SURVEY ANALYSTS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
schools—worth $47.2 million each. Though the district’s focus is now on a tax rate election, the needs addressed in the bond will not go away, Chief Operations O cer Oscar Perez said. “I’d like to have the bond yes- terday, but I also understand that a
VATRE is de nitely needed,” he said during the Aug. 15 meeting. “I would hate to cloud the public’s opinion on what we truly need.”
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
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