One of the hottest issues on the ballot in Harris County is the Houston Independent School District bond. The $4.4 billion bond is the largest in Texas history. Many agree that money is necessary, but the center of debate has been whether a district embroiled in controversy deserves so much money.
The biggest issues for parents, students, teachers, board members, and community members arguing for and against the bond are the distrust toward state-appointed HISD Superintendent Mike Miles and his overhaul of the district with his New Education System (NES), job cuts, and teacher retention approach.
Last week, Parent Teacher Organizations from Crockett and Travis elementary schools, among others, hosted a panel moderated by Councilwoman Abbie Kamin to understand the consequences of voting for or against the proposal on the ballot. The speakers included Judith Cruz, a member of HISD’s bond Community Advisory Committee, Veronica Garcia from Houstonians for Great Public Schools, and Tracy Lisewsky and Tish Ochoa from the Supporters of HISD Magnets and Budget Accountability (an active parent-run Facebook group).
Background
The bond aims to raise money for HISD’s plans to address three issues:
- “Safety and healthy campuses” with $1.1 billion
- Preparing students to be “future ready” with another with $1.1 billion
- Restoring campuses using $2.2 billion.
If voters approve the proposal in November, HISD plans to pay it back by levying additional property taxes over three decades. In August, HISD unanimously passed two propositions: Prop A asks for $3.96 billion for construction, infrastructure, renovations, school safety, and security, and Prop B asks for $440 million for technology upgrades.
While most school districts in the state hold bond elections every five to six years, HISD’s last bond election was 12 years ago, owing to distrust in former leadership.
The 2012 bond left HISD with $1.7 billion in outstanding debt and $664 million in interest payments. According to local reporting, if Propositions A and B are approved in the election, this debt will increase to $10.9 billion.
HISD plans to rebuild 22 elementary and middle schools with the bond funds and renovate or expand 16 campuses. Moreover, eight schools will be relocated to another school under the district’s “co-location” plan.
These schools include:
- Blackshear Elementary School: moving into Baylor College of Medicine at Ryan Middle School
- Kashmere Gardens Elementary School into Key Middle School
- Sanchez Elementary School into Deady Middle School
- Isaacs Elementary School into Fleming Middle School
- Port Houston and Pleasantville elementary schools, moving to a rebuilt Holland Middle School campus
- Edison Middle School into Franklin Elementary School
- Project Chrysalis Middle School, already co-located with Cage Elementary School, into the newly built Cage Elementary campus
Why HISD cannot use its rainy-day funds
Garcia explained that HISD is funded by debt service, nutrition, maintenance, and operations. The bond loan pays for the debt service, separate from taxpayer payments. If the bond debt passes, the old debt will be added to the new bond debt. HISD also has a “rainy day” fund that acts like a savings account and must have three months of operating costs by law, i.e., around $600 million. Hence, if HISD uses these funds that are intended for salaries, curriculum, and making classrooms comfortable, toward infrastructure, it will be hard for the district to replenish the funds.
Breakdown of the proposal
For safe and healthy schools, HISD allocated $1.04 billion.
- Security upgrades (263 campuses; 25 non-campus facilities): $384.16 million
- HISD police upgrades: $2.15 million,
- HVAC upgrades (188 campuses): $508 million.34
- Lead abatement (134 campuses): $149.62 million
For future readiness, the allocation is $1.07 billion.
- Three new CTE centers (in North, South, and West divisions): $375 million
- Renovation of Barbara Jordan Career Center: $50 million
- Pre-K expansion: $200 million
- District-wide technology and IT upgrades: $445 million
To restore schools, HISD’s allocation is $2.28 billion for renovations, rebuilds, and expansions in 43 campuses.
| For the Bond | Against the bond |
|---|---|
| Considering the outstanding debt that HISD already has from the 2012 bond, which adds up to $10.9 billion, opponents are concerned about how the district will pay back the debt. Ochoa said campuses like Booker T. Washington have upgraded facilities but its enrollment is declining because of a lack of quality of education.”Unless there is something done to stem the hemorrhaging of our families and great quality teachers, and that is not building a pretty new building, then I have real concerns about how this money is being spent,” she said. | Considering the outstanding debt that HISD already has from the 2012 bond, which adds up to $10.9 billion, opponents are concerned about how the district will pay back the debt.Ochoa said campuses like Booker T. Washington have upgraded facilities but its enrollment is declining because of a lack of quality of education.”Unless there is something done to stem the hemorrhaging of our families and great quality teachers, and that is not building a pretty new building, then I have real concerns about how this money is being spent,” she said. |
| The ballot in Harris County under Proposition A says, “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” By law, HISD is required to include this statement even when the bond will not raise property taxes. However, HISD documents show that with interest, the bond will cost taxpayers $8.9 billion over three decades. Garcia compared the tax increase to a car loan, saying, “The assessed value of the HISD properties has increased about an average of 6% over the past decade. What that means is that the amount that the district has collected in taxes over the year has increased, even though the tax rate has not increased” and that “the need of the district is actually much greater.”Cruz said she supports the bond, which is not her endorsement of Miles’ leadership but a “hundred percent about what our kids need.”Proponents of the bond tried to dispel concerns among parents and teachers about the bond being used as discretionary funds. Garcia said the bond is a contract with labor and not much can be changed. For example, if Miles decides to use the funds to expand NES schools, he will not be allowed by law to do it. | According to students’ parents, HISD sent an email calling those protesting against the bond the “loud few who have made it their mission to stand in the way of our progress and undermine the steps taken,” Kamin read, pointing out the lack of trust in Miles’ leadership. Their concerns have also been termed as “noise” and “adult issues” that do not care about children.Per Ochoa, she is voting “no” because Miles has shown isolation from the community. “So many of us are scared to send our kids to school on a super hot day because of what could happen with the AC. But the systematic dismantling of our district, the unplanned and widespread expansion of NES, and a permanent loss of 50% of our principals and teachers, show me that Mr. Miles doesn’t understand the needs of this district. And I don’t want the biggest bond in Texas history created under that vision, where the leaders’ vision of our district does not align with our community’s vision.”Ochoa said Miles used ESSER funds to expand NES from 28 to 130 campuses instead of HVAC issues. |
| Proponents also argued that with more funds and per-pupil spending, the the chances of students opting for higher education and post-graduation success will also increase, as the district currently has a 40% high school dropout rate. | “I didn’t have any hard feeling about this current administration or the previous one until I started hearing Superintendent Miles speaking. He called teachers and principals lazy and incompetent. Who would talk about their employees like that in public? You can build a new building, but if you drive away the good teachers, you drive away the parents. I desperately want them [children] to go to a good school not because Harvard has a shiny building, but I really wanted the IB program for my kids. It prepares them to be well-rounded people. But now, he’s [Miles] taking that away.Quynhthy Bui, HISD parent |
| Garcia said she was unsure when another bond might be proposed and how long the state will intervene. To her, the investment in students will “outlive the current administration.” She also reminded the audience the last time HISD prioritized elementary schools through a bond was in 2007.”The reality is we have thousands of children that are in unsafe, unhealthy classrooms,” Garcia said. “In today’s day and age, when there are several campuses that don’t have the necessary security upgrades, single points of entry to ensure that our kids are safe from an unspeakable tragedy, that, to me, expresses a sense of urgency.” | Ochoa acknowledges the need for upgrades and infrastructure but does believe “it is the wrong bond at the wrong time” because of rushed community engagement and confusion under a newly-appointed board and new teachers.However, she believes people might change their minds if they are given more time, “meaningful” engagement with the community, and a smaller bond proposal. Lisewsky echoed the same sentiment, saying Miles failed to follow Texas Association of School Boards’ seven-step process for school bonds, which includes community engagement and “clearing up misconceptions.” |
| Cruz disagreed, referring to the HISD website that contains information on safety and security upgrades, HVAC and technology improvements, CTE and pre-K centers, and campus renovations, rebuilds, and expansions for the public.She said that if the bond does not pass, HISD will have to dip into its general fund, typically used for teacher salaries and classrooms, for “band-aid” maintenance and infrastructure. Until now, the district could rely on ESSER funds for these fixes, but they are now drying up, leaving HISD with a $450 million budget shortfall. “The bandaid that carried us over has now been ripped off, and we no longer have it. We are now feeling the effects,” Cruz said, adding that the bond is separate from political agendas and not a referendum on the administration of the state takeover. | Kamin asked her if HISD submitted reimbursement from FEMA or state government assistance for debris pickup and physical damage to buildings.Garcia clarified that the district did. When a natural disaster occurs, the district has to utilize insurance first before FEMA funds can step in, which is often delayed. The bond, however, is intended only for infrastructure and not disaster damages.The HISD did not have a bond since 2012 and if the bond fails, Houstonians will be the first in Texas to reject a billion-dollar bond. Lisewsky said the bond allocations are “conflated,” which must be discussed, especially in the absence of an HISD COO. “There’s clearly confusion at the very least as to what’s being spent or not being spent,” she said. |
For the Bond
- The Greater Houston Partnership
- BakerRipley,
- Children at Risk,
- Good Reason Houston,
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston
- Houstonians for Safe and Healthy Schools
- Ed Trust
“This bond is not a referendum on the state takeover or the HISD administration. HISD Props A & B are Houstonian’s pledge to upgrade basic learning conditions for HISD students, and working conditions for the district’s teachers. It is what is best for our children and we hope Houstonians will choose to put students and teachers first and vote for Prop A & B. Kids can’t wait any longer.”
-Veronica Garcia, executive director of Houstonians for Great Public Schools
Against the Bond
- The Houston Federation of Teachers
- The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation
- Harris County Democratic Party
- Harris County Republican Party
- Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
- Community Voices for Public Education
