North East ISD Board Approves Bond for November Ballot
The North East ISD Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to hold an election in November for a $499.95 million bond program. The bond package was designed with input from NEISD principals, District staff, parents, students and community members. The 2015 Bond focuses on five categories: Safety and Security, Technology, Operations, Extracurricular and Facilities. Early voting is October 19-30. Election day is November 3.
The bond projects include adding security check-in vestibules, expanding the wireless network for technology devices, replacing the 60-year-old bleachers at Comalander Stadium, and expanding or replacing band halls and fine arts facilities at several middle and high schools. The largest category of the bond program, at nearly $226 million, includes replacing portable classrooms and campus facility renovations. In addition, the District anticipates that the bond will not increase the tax rate for at least five years.
The journey to the NEISD Board of Trustee’s call for a 2015 Bond has been led and supported by NEISD stakeholders. The District underwent a facility planning process in 2014-2015 that included a needs assessment of its facilities, technology, equipment, library collections, and other resource program areas. This process was a direct result of the "Transforming the Future" strategic plan developed during the 2013-2014 school year. Goals 2 and 8 of the "Transforming the Future" plan led the facilities planning process to address technology infrastructure and resource inequalities districtwide.
After gathering data collection through an in-district facility needs survey and an online community facility needs survey, the District formed a Facility Steering Committee of 36 parents and community members to guide the planning process. The Facility Steering Committee met from March through June 2015 to review and prioritize the District's resource needs. NEISD condensed the projects into five categories: Safety and Security, Technology, Operations, Extracurricular and Facilities. The work of the Facility Steering Committee was shared during community meetings on March 30, April 28 and May 19, 2015 where additional community feedback was gathered.
The NEISD Facility Steering Committee presented a final proposal to the Board of Trustees on June 15, 2015 recommending a $499.95 million bond program for the District.
For a detailed list of what the bond categories entail, please visit this see the Special Project Worksheet Summary.
Article courtesy of North East Independent School District website.
