$100 million coastal relief helps Flour Bluff ISD save on insurance

During FBISD’s first-ever State of the District event, Superintendent Steinbruck highlighted student success and a long-awaited financial victory.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Flour Bluff ISD is celebrating some much-needed financial relief thanks to new state funding aimed at helping coastal school districts offset skyrocketing windstorm insurance costs.

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During the district’s first-ever State of the District event, Superintendent Chris Steinbruck highlighted student success and a long-awaited financial victory made possible by House Bill 2. The legislation allocated $100 million to reimburse school districts across 14 coastal counties for windstorm property and casualty insurance costs.

Superintendent Steinbruck credited local lawmaker for making it happen.

“Because he worked hard for the 14 coastal counties to get that $100 million for windstorm property casualty relief,” said Steinbruck, thanking State Representative Todd Hunter for his efforts.

Last year, Flour Bluff ISD was paying more than $3.2 million in annual insurance premiums compared to just $800,000 for similar-sized districts farther inland.

“We were paying two and a half million dollars more in insurance when we’re funded the exact same way. That takes money away from our students, our teachers, and our programs,” Steinbruck said.

Rep. Hunter said the new funding corrects a long-standing inequity affecting coastal districts.

“A lot of people don’t know the school districts are paying seven figures for windstorm insurance and why are we the only ones in the state paying it? So the legislature came through a hundred million total to distribute and the coast won. They should have won,” Hunter said.

Flour Bluff ISD will receive just under $1.6 million to offset its insurance costs money Steinbruck says can now go directly toward students, teachers, and campus improvements.

“That helps us be more competitive with our inland school districts. And that’s huge,” said Steinbruck.

The district also shared updates on several ongoing bond projects, including new classrooms and a skilled trades center.

“Our kids built that airplane with our depot mentors in a building from the 1950s. Now they’ll have a new space that looks like the hangars at the depot helping prepare them for the workforce,” said Steinbruck.

The district says these improvements will not only enhance learning but also strengthen connections between students and the Coastal Bend’s growing industries.

Rockport-Fulton also released a statement on the new windstorm insurance allotments.

“We are grateful for the insurance allotment that came out of the 89th legislation. This is no doubt because of the effort and commitment of Todd Hunter. This dedicated money supports our coastal schools in combating the significant burden property insurance has on our districts.” -RFISD Superintendent, Dr. Lesley Austin