TEXARKANA, Texas -- The Texarkana Independent School District is in the process of considering a potential bond election that could result in about $185 million going toward campus and safety improvements.
TISD's Imagine 2026 Long Range Planning Committee made a presentation to the Board of Trustees on June 29 after months of conducting facility tours, meetings and studies regarding a bond.
In the master plan that was presented, the committee identified four areas of need in the district that would take just over $187 million to address. The areas of highest priority include --
The following items were addressed as the highest priority needs of improvement in the district:
• Safety and security -- $2.5 million
• Replacement schools and renovations -- $122.89 million
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) additions and renovations at Texas High School -- $58.97 million
• Replacement of 18 district buses -- $2.7 million
With these plans, the district would consider replacing the Dunbar Early Education Center, combining Spring Lake Park and Highland Park into one elementary school at the Pine Street location and making major renovations to Wake Village Elementary.
The district recently approved $1.95 million for campus safety and security improvements, but the bond would allow the district to be reimbursed for a large amount of the funds that came from TISD's fund balance for those improvements. The district aims to address the following measures with the funds:
• Districtwide access control system
• Perimeter metal fencing at THS
• Security window film at all school entries
• Canopies to connect outbuildings at THS
• Security fencing at all district playgrounds
"If all of those things were to be put together in a bond issue, that would be $187 million," LRPC member Rendi Wiggins said during the presentation. "And there was a consensus that all of these projects are greatly needed for our district and for the community of Texarkana.
"That's a big number, and we understood it not to be our task to go through and nickel and dime what we needed. This is what we came to, but ultimately, it will be up to the board which ones need to go into the bond."
The charge of the LRPC is to study needs identified through the strategic planning process, prioritize them, develop a long-range facilities plan that addresses them and recommend its adoption to the TISD board. The committee comprises 42 district stakeholders, including community members, district parents, local educators and many more.
TISD also sent out surveys from May 14- 26 to gauge the community's interest in a potential bond. They calculated data from about 300 respondents.
The district's survey consisted of an initial ballot asking if voters in the district would be "for" or "against" or "unsure" regarding the issuance of three different amounts of bonds. Then, after voters received an explanation of the tax impact and projects that would come if a bond were approved, there was an informed ballot with the same three amounts – $145 million, $185 million and $205 million.
On the initial, uniformed ballots, the vote breakdown is --
• $145 million – 49% voted for, 46% against, 5% unsure
• $185 million – 47% voted for, 48% voted against, 5% unsure
• $200 million – 33% voted for, 60% voted against, 7% unsure
On the informed ballots, the breakdown is --
• $145 million – 62% voted for, 35% voted against, 2% unsure
• $185 million – 58% voted for, 38% voted against, 4% unsure
•$205 million – 43% voted for, 52% voted against, 5% unsure
After the initial ballots, 14 potential bond projects were listed and voted on with the following choices: total favor, total oppose or unsure/refused.
Of those 14 projects, 12 received over 60% of votes as "total favor." The other two were over 55%.
The tax-impact portion of the survey showed an estimate of potential property tax increases of $6.13 to $11.38 a month and $73.50 to $136.50 per year for every $100,000 of taxable property value. The amounts varied based on the bond amounts presented.
According to TISD's website, its current overall tax rate is $1.3067, with a maintenance and operations rate of $1.0517 and an interest and sinking rate of $0.255. Chief Financial Officer Anita Clay said in a recent meeting she expects the total rate to dip by around 10 cents for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Due to increasing construction costs, the district thinks now is the best time for a bond.
Wiggins said if TISD were to delay until May 2023 for an election, the district would be looking at a minimum of a 15% increase in all costs based on current trends.
"No one has a crystal ball, but that's what we would be looking at if we delayed until May 2023."
The official deadline for TISD to adopt a bond election order is Aug. 22.
"There really is no better investment in our community than the money that can be invested in young peoples' education," LRPC member Derrick McGary said. "I'm really proud of the work the Long Range Planning Committee has done."
(For information, visit www.txkisd.net/imagine2026/longrangecommittee.asp)
Texarkana Independent School District's Long Range Planning Committee discusses the potential of a bond election during a recent meeting. (Submitted photo)