Officials took the extraordinary step of taking on new debt to replace the old courthouse, which has been plagued by rats and other pests, elevator breakdowns and flooding.   view article

Plano Independent School District broke ground Tuesday on a $72 million Career & Technical Education Center that will offer training in fields like welding, hairdressing and cybersecurity for students in grades 9-12. The 150,000-square-foot center is expected to open in fall 2026 at the intersection of Alma Drive and West Park Boulevard and is part of the district’s 2022 bond election. Voters approved a nearly $1.5 billion bond referendum that year to support the district’s budget, student programs and staff salaries. view article

Fort Bend ISD trustees voted this week to move forward with the planning process for a new aquatics facility included in a 2023 bond that exceeded its budget. Earlier this year, administrators in the school district southwest of Houston said the bond was expected to have a deficit of nearly $133 million. The district has slowly been working to drive down these costs and recently eliminated plans for a new elementary school from the bond projects. view article

Michael Wilson reports that trustees in the Houston Independent School District are considering selling 19 properties to bridge fiscal gaps.   This comes after 58 percent of voters rejected a massive debt proposal on the November ballot that would have cost taxpayers $9 billion, including interest and principal.    view article

Trustees for the San Antonio Independent School District approved terms Monday night under which they would agree to sell land for the construction of a new stadium downtown for the San Antonio Missions minor league baseball team. Trustees also voted to give the parties involved with the ballpark development until Dec. 9 to accept the terms or respond with a proposal of their own. SAISD trustees plan to discuss the next step in negotiations over the land sale at their regular board meeting on Dec. 16. view article

The Naming Advisory committees for Katy ISD’s newest elementary schools recommended school names at last night’s school meeting. The district names schools uniquely after individuals or families that have made a lasting impact on the district and community. view article

After voters rejected a $4.4 billion bond proposal for Houston ISD, the district is considering whether to sell nearly 20 properties it owns across the city. HISD's state-appointed board of managers discussed the potential sale of 18 properties during the closed, executive session of Thursday night's school board meeting, according to the meeting agenda. The board members did not take any related actions after returning to open session. view article

Parents and elected officials spoke out Thursday against Superintendent Mike Miles’ reaction to Houston ISD’s failed $4.4 billion bond at the district’s first board meeting since Election Day.  view article

HISD parents, teachers and critics of Miles showed their strength Tuesday by successfully executing a monthslong grassroots campaign to get voters to reject the $4.4 billion school bond. view article

Miles said the bond's failure came after critics, including Houston ISD's largest teachers union, spread misinformation about students' academic achievement gains.   view article

As part of the $456.2 million 2024 bond package, projects including a new career and technology center, a new transportation center, a new early childhood education center, a multi-purpose center and a natatorium are all in the design phase, according to an update at Monday’s Longview ISD board meeting. Superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard said the natatorium has gotten the attention of other organizations and groups, including the City of Longview, potentially lengthening the timeline for its completion. view article

From the floors to the AC units, and even the track, many areas within Rosebud Lott ISD have not seen significant upgrades in the past 30 years simply because they didn’t have the funds. However, thanks to new solar farms in the area whose taxes can actually help pay for school bonds, the district was able to propose a $25 million bond at no extra cost to district taxpayers. view article

Late Tuesday night, after it became clear that voters had rejected a $4.4 billion bond proposal for Houston ISD, Superintendent Mike Miles sent out a statement expressing his disappointment. His note to district stakeholders and news outlets began with the following quote from Nelson Mandela, the late social rights activist who served as the first Black president of South Africa: "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." view article

After Frenship ISD voters approved three propositions totaling $199.5 million on Tuesday, the school district released a statement expressing its gratitude. “We want to say thank you. Thank you to our parents, students, staff, and community who voted. We are so grateful to have such a supportive community that recognizes the needs that come with being one of the fastest growing school districts in Texas,” said Frenship ISD Superintendent Dr. Michelle McCord in a statement. view article

The East Central Independent School District asked voters in their district to approve four ballot propositions in the November election. All four failed. In a statement released after the election, district officials said the failure of the propositions places them in a tight spot financially. view article

Historically, in the Houston area, school bonds passed. But this election, we saw a massive shift in our area. Sara Sands, a professor and researcher at the University of Houston, said this means two things. First, there has been a change in how people view schools. view article

Roosevelt ISD voters rejected a $58.5 million bond package for multiple projects, according to final but unofficial results from Tuesday's general election. It was a tight race in early voting, which saw 1,716 early voters and 39 absentee voters. Those against the bond pulled a narrow lead at 51.62%. view article

Beaumont ISD is celebrating a successful tax election however, it's a different story for Kirbyville ISD where they plan to go back to the drawing board. "I am so excited that our community chose our students through passing Proposition A," said Beaumont ISD Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen. view article

Frenship ISD Superintendent Michelle McCord says Proposition A will help the district make it a priority to pay staff the wages she believes they deserve. “I can’t think of a more noble profession in the world and their pay just has not kept up with the inflation that we’ve seen the past several years,” McCord said. “So I’m hoping many of them who have a second job to try and make ends meet can kind of turn in their notice.” view article

As of 11:03 p.m., with all 51 polling places reporting, Alvin ISD's $380.1 million bond has passed with 35,061 votes in favor to 22,637 votes against, according to unofficial results reported by Brazoria County. view article

North Texas voters rejected several school funding proposals Tuesday, dashing districts' plans to increase teacher pay and construct new buildings, potentially forcing budget cuts. The Rockwall Independent School District asked voters to approve an $850 million bond, which would have provided raises for Rockwall ISD teachers and provided funding for infrastructure improvements, including new schools and facilities, higher teacher pay and renovations to the district's football stadium. view article

Round Rock ISD voters approved 2024 Bond propositions A, B, and C, which included funding to provide upgrades and address needs throughout the district. They also elected trustees for places 1, 2, and 7. “We are thankful to the voters of Round Rock ISD for their participation in the election and especially for the support we’ve received from the community,” Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez said. “We’re excited to start the work, and I look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition.” view article

Voters in the Round Rock Independent School District have approved a $932.2 million bond package — one of the largest in the suburban school district's history. Four separate bond propositions appeared on the Nov. 5 ballot; only three were ultimately approved by voters. view article

Frisco ISD voters rejected more than $1 billion in school bonds Tuesday as the district seeks to make campus upgrades and purchase new equipment. The largest bond in the package was $986 million Proposition B, which would have gone toward new buses, safety and security upgrades, and renovations on 20 aging schools. After years of rapid expansion, the district has in recent years seen a slowdown in growth. view article

Voters in Spring ISD overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to raise property taxes for more school funding Tuesday while a similar measure in Alief ISD narrowly won approval. Facing potential budget shortfalls and rising costs due to inflation, the two Houston-area school districts held elections to raise the property tax rates. view article

Houston ISD’s historic $4.4 billion school bond — the largest school bond in Texas history — failed Tuesday, forcing the district to delay much-needed facility improvements due largely to voters’ mistrust of state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles.  Approximately 60% of roughly 350,000 voters who cast early, mail-in ballots and Election Day ballots voted against both propositions, according to preliminary returns from the Harris County Clerk’s Office. While thousands of ballots cast on Election Day were still being counted, the margin appears insurmountable. view article

In a third attempt at replacing an aging stadium and building a space for district's swimming team, cumulative Montgomery County vote totals Wednesday morning show that Willis ISD voters rejected its $115.4 million bond package on Tuesday — as the district continues to see growth in enrollment. With a projection of growth to 18,000 from 9,000 students in the next 10 years, the district north of Houston planned the bond election with three propositions that would provide more space to accommodate for the growth. view article

Austin Independent School District Proposition A, a tax rate election, passed with 58 percent of the vote on Nov. 5, resulting in a property tax increase for Austin residents that will invest $41 million in AISD. The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted in August to place Proposition A on the November ballot after a five-year stagnation in the state’s per-student funding, which is now $4,000 below the national average. The AISD Board of Trustees put forward Prop A as a plan to increase pay for teachers and staff, reduce the district’s deficit, strengthen savings and invest in additional support staff and services for students. view article

In a third attempt at replacing an aging stadium and building a space for district's swimming team, cumulative Montgomery County vote totals Wednesday morning show that Willis ISD voters rejected its $115.4 million bond package on Tuesday — as the district continues to see growth in enrollment. With a projection of growth to 18,000 from 9,000 students in the next 10 years, the district north of Houston planned the bond election with three propositions that would provide more space to accommodate for the growth. view article

Early election returns show that voters in the East Central Independent School District are likely to reject a handful of bond issues and a tax increase, potentially dashing plans for rapid expansion district leaders say is needed to keep up with population growth. The district’s 11,176 student enrollment is expected to grow to 25,617 by 2033, according to district officials. view article

Local school districts were mostly denied new money from bond issues and tax ratification elections on Tuesday. In the Frisco Independent School District, voters rejected the entire $1 billion bond package that would have included money for new schools, technology improvements, and a tennis center. view article

The largest school bond proposal in Texas history was rejected Tuesday in a big statement by Houston voters. Houston ISD's $4.4 billion bond package, which appeared on ballots as Propositions A and B, failed to gain voter support, according to unofficial election results released by the Harris County Clerk's Office. Nearly 60 percent of early voters opposed Prop A, which sought $3.96 billion for school rebuilds and renovations as well as safety and security upgrades, while Prop B, which sought $440 million for technology systems and infrastructure, was rejected by more than 60 percent of early voters. view article

Unofficial election results for the Frisco ISD bond shows voters oppose all propositions for the district's $1.08 billion bond package. view article

There are several Proposition As on the Central Texas ballot, covering topics from school district budgets, child care affordability and fire and EMS funds. view article

Longview ISD gave consideration to the broader needs of the city when it included a natatorium in its $456.2 million bond proposal in May. Voters approved all five proposals that were part of the bond package, including $41.9 million for a natatorium to replace the district's aging aquatics center that comes with a high price tag for maintenance and repairs. The district has said the repairs cause frequent disruptions in the pool's use. view article