By Houston ISD officials led media tours this week to showcase some of the critical infrastructure issues and the need for renovations and rebuilding at several schools including Fondren Middle School.
KTRK Lileana Pearson was on hand to see the damage first hand, and spoke with the schools principal LaKia Jackson about the damage to the aging facilities, in both permanent and temporary buildings and expressed concerns about health and safety issues
Issues ranged from HVAC and plumbing systems, foundation and ground leveling to buildings that have ceiling leaks through mildewed tiles, holes and cracks in walls, ceilings, and floors.
However, HISD is already facing a $528 million budget shortfall according to Superintendent Mike Miles, and the district’s schools like Fondren Middle School will be dependent upon the passage of the proposed $4.4 billion dollar bond the district plans to place on the November 5 ballot.
If the bond is approved, Fondren would get infrastructure upgrades to fix broken chairs in the auditorium, cracks in the floor, and mold in some classrooms.
While STAAR test scores have improved in the last year, education experts such as Rice University Erin Baumgartner said that in order to continue positive trends in those outcomes funds are needed to bring classrooms and campuses out of states of disrepair.
