AUSTIN, Texas—Today, ϱ voters approved Propositions 1 and 3 of the ϱ’s bond to support technology, transportation, energy conservation and address facility repairs and improvements across the district.
“We would like to thank ϱ voters for their participation in this important election,” Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said. “While voters did not approve all of the propositions, they did agree that all of our schools need to be maintained and well-equipped to support the quality of education in our city. Propositions 1 and 3 will positively affect the quality of education for ϱ students for many years to come.”
Voters approved Proposition 1 for $140.5 million to upgrade technology to ensure all students have access, build new science and technology labs, add new school buses and improve energy conservation.
Proposition 3 was the largest of the four at $349.1 million and will allow the district to repair and renovate all of its aging schools, including fixing leaky roofs and replacing old plumbing. This proposition includes repairs for every school in the district. A complete list of repairs by school can be found online at .
“We thank the community for taking the time to understand the needs of our schools,” ϱ Board President Vincent Torres said. “The district will continue to work with all stakeholders to address the needs of our schools and how we pay for them.”
The bond program was developed by a group of community members and school district staff, working together to identify needs at each of the district’s more than 130 schools and facilities. Since February, they have spent countless hours providing factual information to the ϱ community about the four propositions in the bond.
Not all of the propositions passed. A total of four school bond propositions were on the ballot.
Proposition 2 was for $233.9 million and included building new schools to address overcrowding, improvements in safety and security, and improving facilities for fine arts, physical education and athletics. This proposition lost by less than 200 votes.
Proposition 4 was for $168.5 million and included facility improvements for career and technical education, fine arts, special education and physical education and athletics, and facility renovations at the Ridgeview campus (old Anderson High School) for the School for Young Men.
Now that the election is over, the administration will work with the board and all school communities to reassess how to prioritize the district’s needs and determine what is affordable for the ϱ community. As with any approved bonds, ϱ will establish a Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee to ensure the will of the voters is carried out.
Official results on the election can be found at .