With student enrollment expected to nearly double in the next 10 years across all grade levels, the Hays Consolidated Independent School District is asking voters to pass a nearly $1 billion school bond in May.
“We're already behind because of the growth that none of us could foresee,” School Board President Raul Vela Jr. said as the board finalized details of the bond at a meeting in January.
The bond is split into five propositions, so voters don't have to pass the whole thing; they can choose to pass funding for certain projects and not others.
Here's what's in it.
Prop A
Prop A totals about $499 million. It’s the largest proposition in the bond package and would pay for expansions at the following schools to increase student capacity or address the need for more space:
- Hays High School
- Johnson High School
- Lehman High School
- McCormick Middle School
- Simon Middle School
- Wallace Middle School
- Barton Middle School
- Fuentes Elementary
- Hemphill Elementary
- Kyle Elementary
- Tom Green Elementary
“The bigger the classrooms … that becomes really difficult for some teachers, which eventually hurts our student outcomes,” school board member Johnny Flores said. “These academic expansions, I believe, are truly going to give relief to many of these teachers and these students.”
Prop A would also fund the construction of a new elementary school in the district's Northeast for about $78.7 million and the design of another elementary school for about $4.6 million.
All middle schools would get artificial turf installed to decrease the district’s water use, and several middle and high schools would get weight room expansions.
“ We have athletes that are getting injured because they are not properly trained in a proper weight room that is the proper size,” board member Courtney Runkle said. “It really is a safety issue that our coaches deal with on a daily basis.”
The proposition also includes $7 million to buy new school buses equipped with seat belts. This is part of the district’s effort to improve safety after a deadly school bus crash last year.
Another $2.2 million would fund career and technical education improvements, including a new burn tower and breathing apparatus packs for the Firefighter Academy program.
Prop A funds would also help maintain school buildings across the district. That includes replacing any needed mechanical, electrical, plumbing and safety systems and maintenance on roofs.
Prop B
Prop B totals over $396 million and would fund a fourth high school in Buda set to open in 2029.
The new high school would be designed to fit 2,800 students.
Prop C
Prop C totals over $6 million and would pay for the expansion of the stadium at the new high school in Buda as a second place to host varsity competitions.
Hays CISD currently uses the Bob Shelton Stadium as the central, varsity competition stadium.
Prop D
Prop D totals nearly $51.4 million for the construction of four outdoor multipurpose activity centers. These facilities would be used for fine arts and athletics classes.
Hays CISD officials said the activity centers would be covered.
“ We know it's getting hotter. Every projection you look at in the next 10 years, it's just going to get more hot and more dry,” Flores said. “All of our high school teams have had to go to 6 a.m. practices because of that heat during the late summer and fall.”
One would be built at each of the following high schools:
- Hays High School
- Johnson High School
- Lehman High School
- High School #4 (funded by Prop B)
Prop E
Prop E totals $16.2 million and would fund technology upgrades at all campuses. That includes purchasing tablets, computers and laptops for students to use on campuses and replacing old, outdated or broken sound systems in schools.
The proposition would also fund new photocopiers and phone systems for all campuses.
District leaders said the bond will not result in a tax rate increase.
Early voting runs from April 22 to April 29; Election Day is May 3. Find out more about the election here.
