Aldine ISD Trustees Call for School Bond Election for November – Aldine ISD | #schoolsaftey

Projects to focus on safety and security, facility enhancements, and instructional technology; 

funds set aside for school rebuilds, renovations, and district performing arts center 

Aldine ISD Trustees approved three bond referendums totaling approximately $1.8 billion during their Aug. 15 Board meeting. Trustees also voted to hold the bond election on Nov. 7.

Board President Randy Bates said the time has come for Aldine to improve its facilities on behalf of the community it serves. “We are at a crossroads; we either move forward or go back,” he said. “We had professionals evaluate all of our buildings, and they came up with a list of needs. These bond referendums will address those needs.”

The 2023 school bond will focus on safety and security, facility enhancements, and instructional technology and is divided into three propositions.

Proposition A will cover campus rebuilds, campus redesigns and renovations, safety and security, facility improvements and high-priority maintenance, technology infrastructure, and transportation at a cost of $1,622,325,676.

• 1. Carver Magnet High School

• 1. Orange Grove Elementary School

• Campus redesign projects would take place at Dwight D. Eisenhower Senior High School and MacArthur Senior High School.
• Safety and security projects would include a dedicated district police department, updated security technology systems, safety film, site fencing, and lighting and emergency generators.
• Technology infrastructure projects would include wireless network system updates (enhanced WiFi).
• The East Transportation facility is set to be rebuilt. Additionally, the district plans to purchase state-of-the-art school buses and buses dedicated to special education and add vehicles to its white fleet.

The bond program includes campus facility improvements and high-priority maintenance projects across the district, including installing digital marquees, life-cycle replacements (roofs, plumbing, and HVAC), science lab improvements, and athletic facility improvements.

Proposition B will cover instructional technology at a cost of $65,547,500.

Instructional technology enhancements will ensure our students and educators have a technology-rich learning environment that supports, amplifies, and expands the impact of effective teaching practices so that our students are future-ready. The technology projects are focused on student and staff device refreshes (iPads, laptops, and Chromebooks) and classroom technology (interactive display panels).

Proposition C will call for the construction of an Education and Performance Center at a cost of $122,282,967. This center will serve as the district’s premiere performing and visual arts venue, able to accommodate groups of varying sizes.

If voters approve the school bond, Aldine ISD taxpayers will not see a tax rate increase for the next three years, according to Chief Financial Officer Stan Osborne.

“We are always mindful of the community’s tax contribution for Aldine students and are committed to responsible, transparent planning and use of those tax dollars,” Osborne said.

The first planned rate change would come in 2026, and it would be 2 cents per $100 value, meaning a homeowner with a house appraised at $100,000 would see a $20 increase in their taxes beginning in 2026.

During the spring of 2023, the district convened a Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) co-chaired by Chief of Staff Sheleah D. Reed, Chief Financial Officer Stan Osborne, and Chief of Operations Fred Washington. The LRPC was made up of a variety of community stakeholders who made recommendations to the Board after reviewing a comprehensive facilities assessment to address and plan for district improvements proactively.

Aldine ISD will continue to keep the community informed as the work unfolds and will soon go live with a web page dedicated specifically to Bond 2023 — complete with the most current information and updates to include individual projects, renderings, a calendar of community meetings, a tax calculator, and a way to ask questions and receive answers. We will also have FAQs and information about voting. Individual campus websites will also be updated, including how each school will benefit from the bond proposals.Community meetings will be held in September and October, where district leaders will share information and receive feedback directly from the community. Dates and times will be announced soon.

Registered voters can vote at any polling place in Harris County. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Early voting by personal appearance shall be conducted at the following times:

• Monday, Oct. 23, through Saturday, Oct. 28 – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 29 – from noon to 7 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 30, through Friday, Nov. 3 – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.