FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – The Fort Bend Independent School District board of trustees voted unanimously to call a November bond election vote.
District representatives said the money will be used to address safety and security measures, new construction, renovation and updates.
If the $992.6 million bond referendum is approved by voters, it would fund the first of a two-phase, six-year plan. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Charles Dupree said that with 85,000 students projected for enrollment by 2027, the board of trustees is asking voters for help with the growth issue.
“We have several schools that are over-utilized because people are moving in very quickly," Dupree said.
Dupree said that the first phase is a prioritized list of new schools and updates needed by 2024. The second phase would include a projected $705.2 million bond plan that would have to be voted on in 2021.
If the bond is approved in November, Dupree said that taxpayers would not see an immediate increase. Instead, he said, they will see a 3 percent increase over the course of three years.
Leslie Davis said she moved to the area because of the quality of life. She said that she supports the referendum because she doesn’t want students to suffer from the growth of the area.
“In the past five years, a lot of people have relocated here and we definitely need to accommodate for that," Davis said.
The Nov. 6 bond referendum includes:
- $403.4 million for new construction, rebuilds and additions, including the construction of three elementary campuses, design of one middle school, construction of one high school, the rebuild of Lakeview Elementary and Meadows Elementary, and additions at Madden Elementary and Neill Elementary.
- $396.5 million to address life-cycle deficiencies and educational adequacy across the district.
- $14.9 million to fund safety and security upgrades and investments.
- $10.6 million for transportation.
- $142.6 million for technology.
- $19.7 for future land purchases.