Boerne ISD trustees, administrators, the 80 or so members of the district’s Long-Range Steering Committee and others involved in the education of BISD students undoubtedly have circled Saturday, May 7, on their calendars.
That day is Election Day, and BISD patrons will decide whether its school district gets to issue two bond packages totaling $165.64 million that will help address and accommodate the growing needs of the district that’s projected to double in student population during the next 10 years.
On Monday night, the seven Boerne ISD trustees unanimously approved the recommendation from the committee to put the two bond measures on the ballot. A simple majority will be needed for passage of each.
Committee Chair Ernie Pyles, who last Tuesday night during a special board workshop gave a detailed, hour-long presentation on the two bond proposals to the trustees, briefly reviewed them on Monday night.
“I’m providing you a recommendation for consideration,” he said. “Our district needs to stay on pace to meet the growth.”
The numbers
The committee’s recommendation focused on that student population growth, as well as safety concerns and the overall needs of the district to come up with the bond propositions.
The first proposition totals $162.64 million and includes an eighth elementary school in the district; expansions at Boerne and Champion high schools as well as at North and South middle schools; portable classrooms where the need exists or will exist, land acquisition, a second access point to Voss Middle School and design work for a third high school; general maintenance, including measures to keep BISD Stadium safe and useable in the short term; network infrastructure and an audio/visual “refresh;” an aquatics learning center; work on the old administration building and Boerne Academy; library hubs at four elementary schools; moving and expanding the district’s operations center; and money for planning, management and contingency fees.
A separate $3 million technology proposition would fund student and staff devices in the eighth elementary school and expansions at the secondary campuses as well as refresh devices at all BISD campuses.
Pyles said the additional elementary school and the expansions at the other campuses will allow for an additional 2,300 students to comfortably call BISD home. Superintendent Tom Price said on Monday the district’s current student population is 10,410, meaning if Proposition 1 passes, BISD would be able to accommodate about 12,710 students through the eighth elementary school being built and the expansions at both high schools, North and South middle schools and the work done at Boerne Academy and the old administration building.
Pyles said the new elementary could house 800 students, the expansions would add room for 1,200 and the renovations of the academy and old administration building would allow for an additional 300.
Pyles also made a quick reference to BISD’s updated demographic study that predicts a student enrollment between 12,760 and 13,699 for the 2025-26 academic year and between 13,551 and 14,747 the following year. The range in numbers uses lowand moderate-growth models.
“The committee would like to ask for your approval and ask for a bond election this spring,” Pyles said as he wrapped up his presentation.
Two committee members – Ed Rogers and Dr. Kate Harrison – addressed the school board members during the meeting and supported both the process and the two propositions. Harrison emphasized that there was committee consensus, even though it was difficult to get to that point.
Pyles said the committee, which consists of 82 student, staff and community members, was unanimous in its recommendation after several hearty discussions took place since last August. Committee members looked at BISD’s updated demographic study; toured several campuses and facilities; discussed expansion options, school finance, other bond propositions based on House Bill 3 and recent results of neighboring school bond elections before prioritizing the district’s needs and safety concerns based on campus and facility survey results.
“We arrived at a consensus for the bond package recommendation,” Pyles said, adding the unanimous recommendation only was reached after an additional meeting was called in January when there was not a consensus in December.
“The committee did a remarkable job coming together,” Price said. “We are very grateful to the members of the committee for building a bond package that addresses our fast-growing school district. As our student enrollment continues to grow, it is imperative that we continue to be proactive with solutions on how to manage the fast growth. Thank you to the students, teachers, parents and business owners who worked so hard to build the bond proposal.”
Before the trustees approved calling for the bond election, it again was noted the propositions, if passed by district voters, would not raise BISD’s tax rate. However, according to the bond language that is required to appear on the ballot, it is considered a property tax increase.
“According to the legislature and House Bill 3 (from 2019), any issuance of debt is considered an increase in taxes,” BISD Chief Financial Officer Wes Scott told The Star last week, adding that language is needed because of interest that will be paid because the district will take out a loan.
“But we will have no anticipated increase in our tax rate,” he said.
Price also stressed that BISD has a strong population of individuals over age 65 who have their tax rates frozen and, therefore, will not experience any tax increase.
On Monday, Scott said BISD is estimating its bond financing on a 3 percent property value growth over the next five years and zero percent after that. He also said the district conservatively is estimating a 5 percent interest rate on the bonds.
He said those numbers were conservative parameters used to estimate capacity, adding when you estimate capacity you estimate property rate very low and estimate interest rates very high.
The resolutions
School board members approved two resolutions Monday that made the bond election official and pushed the propositions on the May 7 ballot.
The first called for the bond election to be conducted in the district, making provision for the conduct of the election and resolving other matters related to the election.
“The resolution outlines and defines the bond election parameters as presented by the long-range planning committee,” information stated. “The bond election will allow the voting public to decide on proposition measures to address anticipated growth and properly maintain existing facilities and equipment for the district.”
The second resolution provides support of the BISD trustees’ order calling a bond election on May 7.
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