Billions in School Bonds Passed in North Texas Tuesday

During Election Day Tuesday, voters in Tarrant and Parker counties approved about $2.3 billion in school bond proposals for the Tarrant County Community College District as well as the ISDs in Arlington, Aledo, Everman and Keller. Voters in Azle, meanwhile, struck down a proposed school bond.

In Aledo, voters approved a $150 million bond package that will fund two new campuses, renovations at three existing campuses and replace furniture and three elementary schools. The $149,950,000 bond will also provide for school buses and land acquisition.

Projects included in the Aledo ISD bond proposal include:

• Middle School No. 2 | $62,501,000
• Aledo Middle School Renovation/Expansion | $33,446,000
• Elementary School No. 6 | $35,858,000
• McAnally Intermediate Renovation to Elementary School | $9,611,000
• Vandagriff Renovation to Early Childhood Campus | $1,709,000
• Coder Elementary, Stuard Elementary, McCall Elementary furniture replacement | $1,800,000
• Land for future school sites | $4,525,000
• School buses | $500,000

The Aledo bond is not expected to include a tax rate increase.

In Arlington ISD, voters there approved a $966 million bond package that will address funding for facilities, fine arts, transportation, safety, security and technology.

Projects include:

• Renovations and furnishings for full-day pre-K classrooms
• Junior high and high school fine arts/dual language academies
• New playgrounds and shade structures for all elementary schools
• An addition to the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center to meet program demand and allow for program expansion
• Renovate one existing high school field to be the 3rd varsity competition field in the district
• Upgrades to athletics facilities and fine arts spaces
• New fine arts instruments and uniforms
• New school buses
• Safety and security upgrades

In Azle, voters rejected an $80 million bond that included $26 million in renovations to Azle High School, $19 million for a new multi-purpose stadium, $19 million for a new field house and renovation of the existing field house and $16 million for additions and renovations to Liberty Elementary School.

In Everman, voters approved the school district's proposal for $40 million in bonds for facility improvement projects to Joe Bean High School, Baxter Junior High School, Dan Powell Intermediate School, Townley Elementary School and a comprehensive roofing program.

There will be no tax rate increase as a result of the Everman bond proposal.

In Keller, voters approved a $315 million bond package for capital improvement projects.

Projects included in the bond proposal include (with estimated costs).

• District-Wide Safety & Security Upgrades | $19,679,692
• District-Wide Mechanical & Life Safety Upgrades | $30,800,715
• District-Wide Technology Upgrades | $24,328,980
• Florence Elementary School Replacement | $30,091,373
• Heritage Elementary School Replacement | $30,091,373
• Parkview Elementary School Replacement | $33,521,597
• Whitley Road Elementary School Replacement | $32,328,758
• Fossil Hill Middle School Additions & Renovations | $18,321,041
• Keller Middle School Additions & Renovations | $25,414,950
• Indoor Extra-Curricular Program Facilities at High Schools | $48,626,734
• New Industrial Trades and Agriscience Center | $21,509,217

Keller's bond proposal does not raise the KISD property tax rate.

Tarrant County College passed their first bond package in more than two decades. Tarrant County voters approved the $825 million bond package which will allow for projects including:

• More than 200 offerings in different associate degrees & certifications
• Career-ready training of healthcare technicians and nurses
• Public safety training for careers in law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), and fire fighting
• Adult job re-training classes
• Technology and computer science career training
• Skill-training classes in construction trades, culinary arts, hospitality, and manufacturing
• Transferable college classes to local 4-year colleges (like UTA, UNT, TCU, TWU, Tarleton & others)
• Advance college credit opportunities for Tarrant County high school students