TISD Trustees Vote to Send Bond Referendum to May Ballot

Temple, TX (February 18, 2022) – Today at a special called meeting the Temple Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $164.8 million bond referendum to be included in the May 2022 election.

Since November 2, 2021, when Proposition A of the district’s 2021 Bond package was two votes shy of passing, district officials have been gathering additional community feedback to determine next steps.

As a result of focus group feedback over the last few months, the proposed 2022 Bond package approved today reduced the overall cost of the previous package by more than $20 million and eliminated Proposition B which would have provided improvements to Wildcat stadium.  The revised package also defers some facility improvement projects for a future bond.

The most significant bond projects include preparations for growth that were part of the 2021 Demographic Study as well as safety and security updates:

• Construction of a new elementary campus (Fine Arts Academy) in the southeast quadrant
• Expansion of instructional space at three campuses - Scott Elementary, Bonham Middle School and Temple High School
• Eliminating remaining portables at seven campuses
• Addition of security vestibules at three remaining campuses - Hector P. Garcia, Kennedy-Powell, and Raye-Allen
• Construction of a new auxiliary services building

If approved in May, Temple ISD taxpayers will see an approximate $1.48 per month increase in property taxes for a home valued at $100,000. Citizens that are 65 years of age and older would not be impacted if they have filed for and received a homestead exemption with the state of Texas.

 “Our needs have not changed,” said Board of Trustees President Dan Posey, “and we will continue to work with Temple voters to develop and pass a bond package that prioritizes those needs in a way that balances our community’s expectations for their school district.”