The future of Plano schools are in the hands of voters.
At stake is a $481 million bond package which will fund initiatives including district wide renovations and upgrades.
Officials said $209 million will go toward major renovations at Shepton High School and Robinson Middle School. Improvements at several elementary, middle and high schools will also be made.
Another $94.3 million will pay for a performing arts and multipurpose facility to be used for performances by all fine arts programs in the school district. Other fine arts projects include additions to current campus-bases fine arts facilities to increase classroom size.
"Right now, our campus facilities are all under 700 seats," said Plano ISD Fine Arts Director Kathy Kuddes. "We don't have enough seats for all of the patrons who want to come and support the students, so we often find ourselves at rented facilities."
According to Plano ISD, it spends $45,000 annually to rent space for district performances.
"We wouldn't have proposed it if we didn't think this was an important need," Kuddes said. "Typically these bonds have gone in our direction, but we never take that for granted."
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It has been eight years since Plano ISD has held a bond issue to address major facilities and technology needs.
Officials said the property tax rate will remain unchanged if voters approve the bond proposal. They said payments on existing debt are declining as old debt is being paid off.
Trustees voted 6-1 to call for the May 7 election on the bond package.
Trustee Yoram Soloman was the only dissenting vote. According to The Dallas Morning News, Soloman had told board members he wanted the district wide fine arts center to be on its own proposition.
