Spring Branch ISD Board Calls for Nov. 7 Bond Election

Early Voting October 23 – November 3

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August 22, 2017 For Immediate Release – The seven-member Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Monday, August 21, 2017 to call an $898.4 million bond election to appear on the Nov. 7, 2017 ballot.

The Board is asking voters to consider a proposition that, if approved, would provide funding to replace nine of the district’s oldest elementary schools, replace Landrum Middle School, add a new classrooms building at Memorial High School, replace the auditorium at Stratford High School, renovate the library and cafeteria at Spring Woods High School, construct a new classrooms building at Northbrook High School, upgrade major systems and technology district-wide, and replace the oldest buses in the district’s fleet. The bond money would also fund Career and Technical Education (CTE) classroom equipment upgrades, practice field turf installations at the high schools, and new musical instruments and uniforms at secondary schools.

This action comes after SBISD’s Board of Trustees asked the district to evaluate the physical condition, safety, security and capacity of all facilities. The SBISD Bond Advisory Committee, comprised of community members and SBISD staff, reviewed the district’s Long-Range Facilities Plan, facilities conditions reports, demographics, and building capacities, and then identified and prioritized the most critical projects.

“We are a 70-year-old, mature school district with aging infrastructure,” said Karen Peck, SBISD Board of Trustees President. “The physical condition, safety, security and flexibility of our facilities all impact the quality of education students receive in Spring Branch ISD. This bond will touch the lives of our youngest by rebuilding elementary schools and creating equity in facilities across SBISD. We are also very focused on our older students by beginning the work of rebuilding and making key improvements in our secondary schools. The Board is intent on preserving our district’s standing as a great school district, and a big part of that is making sure that we have modern, functional school buildings that provide the outstanding educational environment that SBISD is known for.” 

The 7-0 election call occurred on the first day of the new school year, which was also the Board’s regular monthly meeting date. “Our Board of Trustees held a series of weekly meetings and analyzed a detailed report of the district’s current and future facility needs created by the Bond Advisory Committee and Long-Range Facility Planning Committee,” SBISD Superintendent of Schools Scott Muri, Ed.D., said. “A variety of stakeholders engaged in the two committees. They included parents, students, business representatives, retirees, local teachers and other patrons from across the district. The Bond Advisory Committee work was informed by a Long-Range Facilities Plan, which collectively identified more than $1.3 billion in potential facility needs.”

SBISD educates more than 35,000 students and maintains more than 6 million square feet of buildings. The most recent bond issue was approved in 2007 by 60 percent of voters. It provided funds to rebuild 13 elementary schools – one more than originally planned – and resulted in major safety and security upgrades district-wide. Most remaining elementaries not rebuilt in the past 10 years are now more than 50 years old.

The district does not expect any tax rate increase as a result of this bond election, if passed by voters. The SBISD Board of Trustees has not raised the school tax rate since 2010. SBISD offers every tax break allowed by law, including the full 20 percent homestead exemption. District homeowners have the second lowest tax burden in the Houston area. The annual school tax bill on a home valued at $500,000 is currently $5,229 in SBISD, compared to $5,400 in Cy-Fair ISD, $6,982 in Spring ISD, and $7,024 in Katy ISD.

By state law, there would be no tax increase for senior citizens 65 or over as a result of this bond election. The school tax rate and the amount paid are frozen when a taxpayer turns 65 years old.

Visit www.springbranchisd.com/bond2017 for more details.