Tuesday, voters in Fort Worth ISD will decide the fate of the school district's largest bond package ever. The $1.5 billion package is broken down into four parts; voters will approve each individually.
Proposition A includes $1.2 billion for campus remodeling and additions. The proposition would also include construction of an elementary school to ease overcrowding in Benbrook and the replacement of elementary schools in Eastern Hills, South Fort Worth, and Stop Six.
Superintendent Kent Scribner says 60% of Fort Worth ISD schools were built before 1960.
"Our old schools require lots of investment," he says. "Infrastructure is equity; infrastructure is equal opportunity. This $1.2 billion proposition would focus on the entire envelope of all the middle schools: HVAC, security, communications, roofing, windows, electrical, lighting, plumbing."
Proposition B would include $98.3 million for fine arts. Scribner says that would provide money for school bands, orchestras and mariachi programs. The proposition would also fund improvements for middle and high school auditoriums.
"This bond would not only invest in performing and visual arts but also auditorium upgrades, seating, lighting, audio, curtains, basically all the architectural and aesthetic upgrades, not only at the high schools but at the middle schools," he says.
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Proposition C would include $104.9 million to build three stadiums.
Proposition D would include $76.2 million for improvements at athletic facilities.
Scribner says Propositions C and D would allow Fort Worth to compete with neighboring districts to attract tournaments.
"We want to keep those right here in Fort Worth ISD, keep all that community activity, energy, revenue, keep that right here in our district," he says.
Voters will choose each proposition individually.
Fort Worth ISD last passed a bond in 2017. Scribner said that bond mainly funded projects for high schools; the majority of funding from this bond would go to middle and elementary schools.
ONLINE: Fort Worth ISD Bond Package
Opponents say reading and math scores in the district have been dropping since 2012. They say the district should not be asking for another bond since voters approved a property tax increase in November 2020.
Opponents say the bond would increase the district's debt from $15,000 per student to $45,000 at a time they say the district should be postponing major construction projects.
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