By Houston Independent School District North Division held a community engagement event June 10 at Forest Brook Middle School to present the proposal for the 2024 bond, and despite inclement weather the event drew highly interested stakeholders of the district.
This was the last of four bond Community Advisory Committee district meetings, and many in the highly attentive audience took photos of the presentation slides detailing the proposed bond projects.
CAC members include retired State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, former trustee and board president of HISD Judith Cruz, and retired president of H-E-B, Scott McClelland.
North Division Superintendent Orlando Riddick led the 85 page presentation, informing attendants about the history of HISD bonds past, from 1998 through the last bond which passed in 2012.
The proposals for the $4.4 billion 2024 bond program are as follows:
- $1.35 billion for improved infrastructure
- $1 billion for technology upgrades
- $2.05 billion for urgent facility needs for 40 plus district campuses
The district presentation emphasized that no additional taxes would be required to fund the bond loan.
Alishia Jolivette, deputy chief of operations, stressed the urgent need for the bond funds, and the presentation included a list of projects to address the condition of 8 schools in the HISD north division.
Those schools are as follows:
- Black Middle School
- Durham Elementary School
- Stevens Elementary School
- Burbank Middle School
- Forest Brook Middle School
- Key Middle School
- Kashmere Gardens Elementary School
- Williams Middle School
Much of the discussion focused on specific areas of concern such as HVAC, water and other core infrastructure needs to keep students and staff healthy and comfortable.
According to the HISD presentation for Phase One of the proposed projects construction would begin in early 2025, to be completed in mid 2026.
The presentation also showed that other large Houston area public school districts, including Cypress Fairbanks, Katy and Conroe have all recently passed bond proposals over $4 billion.
The presentation was followed by a question and answer session, and a QR code was provided in the presentation for audience members to give feedback on the bond proposal to HISD.
