Houston ISD presents $4.4 billion bond proposal at community meeting

HOUSTON — On Saturday, Houston ISD hosted a virtual community meeting to discuss the district’s plan for a potential $4.4 billion bond proposal and to get feedback on it.

The district said the bond would dedicate $1.35 billion to creating safe and healthy campuses, $1 billion to preparing schools for the future and $2.05 to restoring HISD schools.

“There are around forty schools which have quite urgent needs. Especially our primary and secondary schools, which have not benefited from structuring investments since 2007,” declared a member of the commission during the meeting.

Advisory representatives said mechanical, electrical and plumbing encompass the biggest problem areas and years of not investing in those areas hasn’t helped.

Recent storms in the Houston area have made the problems and threats even more real.

“When I first read it, I was so shocked to see how many 273 schools do not have adequate air conditioning and there are water problems in all schools, schools do not have fences or a single entry point. These are just basic needs for students,” another committee member said.

Compared to other surrounding districts and HISD, the largest school district in the state, other districts invest far more.

If the bond proposal passes, councilors hope the district will prioritize work on campuses based on facility conditions.

The committee is co-chaired by former HISD Trustee and Board President Judith Cruz, former State Representative Garnet Coleman and former HEB President Scott McClelland. For more information about the committee, click here.

The meeting comes as calls grow for a federal investigation into HISD Superintendent Mike Miles over his financial dealings while he led a charter school system in Colorado.

A report from Spectrum News Texas highlighted two checks for more than $1 million that were allegedly sent from Third Future Schools of Texas to its Colorado campuses. The report accused Miles of sending Texas taxpayer dollars out of state while he ran the charter system.

Miles has refuted these claims.

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