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2023 Bond Election

Bond Election Results

 

Bond Election Results Post

Complete election results are posted below. 

Frequently Asked Questions- RISD Bond 2023

  • Unable of Bond Tax on Homestead Property

     

    Impact of Bond Tax (Not Homestead)

    • Remember that election ballots are legal documents. Therefore, the proposition must be written in a very specific way using legal wording.
    • Also, it is impossible to include every element of the proposed bond package on the ballot. So, the proposal generally describes the facilities addressed and the focus of renovation and/or expansion.

    See the ballot language and descriptions below. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate ask. 

    Proposition A (on Ballot)Ballot ExplanationBallot Explanation (athletic facility)Ballot Language (Band and Ag)

     

     

     

  • A school bond is similar to a home mortgage. 

    It is a contract to repay borrowed money over time with a fixed, tax-exempt interest rate.  Bonds are approved by voters for the costs of construction, renovations, and equipment.  Almost all school districts in Texas must utilize voter-approved bonds to finance new facilities and major renovation projects outside the scope of normal maintenance and operations. 

     

  • A committee of more than 25 members including staff, parents, and community members worked with Robyn Popa from Pfluger Architect to develop the bond proposal. The meetings of this committee that began on November 8, 2022 followed an extensive process to determine what should be included in the bond proposal.  

    1. Understand the architectural evaluation and ratings of all district facilities. 
    2. Determine which buildings were able to renovated, expanded, and/or deemed unable to renovate based on Pfluger ratings. 
    3. Consider building, expansion, and/or renovation proposals and related costs developed by Pfluger.
    4. Dicsuss and provide feedback to assist Pfluger in adjusting proposals to better meet district needs and desired budget maximum for bond election.  
    5. Consider building, expansion, and/or renovation of adjusted proposals. 
    6. After several meetings, much discussion, and combining projects from two different proposals to ensure the largest student impact possible, the committee agreed on a bond proposal to submit to the RISD school board. 
    7. The bond proposal was presented to the school board and all constituents were invited to a community bond meeting on Thursday, February 9, 2023 to understand the bond proposal and the process that had taken place.

    The bond meetings assisted interested parties in understanding not only the needs of our school and facilities, but also understanding the importance of why the school bond is a great investment for our school and community.

     

  • Election Day Information

  • The state entitlement for Rocksprings ISD is based on average daily attendance and some other special formulas for certain programs and students. Like most districts, approximately 80% of RISD annual expenditures is on salaries and benefits. Teacher salaries are not dependent on the number of students in the school. Therefore, the state allows us to keep less of our M&O tax money based on fewer students, but we are still paying the same amount in faculty/staff expenditures to support all aspects of the student educational experience. 

    Some people in the community have wondered why we don’t offer more technical programs for high school students, but addressing the need for secondary faculty members and programs is the most difficult portion of the faculty budget to balance in a small school. One teacher can be hired for each grade in the entire elementary school. One teacher/coach can be hired to cover all elementary physical education. But, junior high works best with departmentalized teachers for every grade level  (one for each content area: science, math, ELAR, and social studies) and specialized teachers/coaches/directors for athletics, band, and other electives. High school becomes even more complex as it not only requires the same departmentalized and specialized teachers for every grade level as in junior high, but there are also Career and Technical Education Programs/Pathways, dual credit options, and graduation requirements that diversify the schedule for every single student in high school. So, students no longer move from class to class as a grade level all day long. The greater the diversity in high school student offerings, the more faculty required, the larger the strain on local expenditures to sustain faculty salaries.  

    So, the state bases the amount of money we are entitled to on student population. But, we must continue to fund programs and salaries to meet the needs of the student population remaining at the same level or more, unless a reduction in force (eliminating teacher positions or programs due to enrollment numbers or interest in programs) is warranted. 

  • Some people in the community have wondered why we don’t offer more technical programs for high school students, but addressing the need for secondary faculty members and programs is the most difficult portion of the faculty budget to balance in a small school. One teacher can be hired for each grade in the entire elementary school. One teacher/coach can be hired to cover all elementary physical education. But, junior high works best with departmentalized teachers for every grade level  (one for each content area: science, math, ELAR, and social studies) and specialized teachers/coaches/directors for athletics, band, and other electives. High school becomes even more complex as it not only requires the same departmentalized and specialized teachers for every grade level as in junior high, but there are also Career and Technical Education Programs/Pathways, dual credit options, and graduation requirements that diversify the schedule for every single student in high school. So, students no longer move from class to class as a grade level all day long. The greater the diversity in high school student offerings, the more faculty required, the larger the strain on local expenditures to sustain faculty salaries.  

  • Mr. Taylor’s Tax Fact and Information Page

    Tax Facts and Information

     

Understanding School Funding

Want to better understand WHY any school would need to pass a bond in order to fund expansions, renovations, or new facilities? 

The resources here are intended to assist constituents in understanding tax rates and school funding. 

RISD Bond Information
RISD Bond Information
Auxiliary Gym Expansion/Renovation
Auxiliary Gym Expansion/Renovation
Band Hall/ Agricultural Science Facility Renovation
Band Hall/ Agricultural Science Facility Renovation
Bond Term, Cost, and Payment Examples
Bond Term, Cost, and Payment Examples
Other Important Election Information
Other Important Election Information
Contact Us for More Information
Contact Us for More Information

Bond Election Documents

Project Component: Expansion and Renovation of Auxiliary Gym (Rubber Gym)

Join students as they discuss facility use and concerns in the auxiliary gym.

Join students and Coach Elliott as they discuss gym locker room facilities and the field house. Part of the expansion on the rubber gym will replace the locker rooms for both male and female athletic programs including those that currently use the field house.

 

 

 

Project Component: Renovation of Band Hall & Ag Facility

Join students as they discuss facility use and concerns in these connected facilities.

The following video is based on the presentation by Pfluger Architects. It explains the process from building ratings to bond committee meeting discussions, decisions, and propositions.

For more information, click on the links below.
  • Community Bond Meeting- Watch and listen as Superintendent, James Oliver, discusses the bond process. Several community members asked questions and shared ideas during the meeting as well.