Houston district plans $4.4 billion bond election in November

THE Houston The school district plans to ask voters in November to approve a $4.4 billion bond proposal, the largest in district history.

The Houston Chronicle reports that a large portion of the bond, $2.05 billion, would go toward rebuilding, renovating and upgrading school facilities. The district has identified more than 40 campuses with “urgent facility needs.”

The proposal calls for investing $1.35 billion in “safe and healthy campuses,” which would include upgrading HVAC systems, securing campuses, and verifying land compliance, air, water and school buildings meet environmental standards.

And $1 billion would go toward career and technical education, early childhood education and technology investments in districts.

The Houston district is offering bond at a time when many community members are wary of the district and calling for more transparency.

Houston Public Media reports that the district’s $4.4 billion proposal would constitute the largest school bond program in Texas history. This comes a year after the Houston district, the state’s largest, was taken over by state authorities.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath removed all nine elected members of Houston’s board of trustees, appointed a board of trustees and installed Mike Miles as superintendent.

The new regime brought many changes, and community members and local elected officials responded by organizing protests and calling on state and federal agencies to investigate.