Keller ISD is asking voters in November election to approve a bond package totaling about $828 million.
Shafkat Anowar/Dallas Morning News
Keller ISD is asking voters in November to approve a bond package totaling about $828 million, which would help renovate campuses and athletic facilities.
Districts use bonds to raise money for major construction projects that can stretch for many years. State funding is generally limited to day-to-day expenses, like teacher salaries and supplies.
Keller ISD, located in northeast Tarrant County, has 23 elementary schools, three intermediate schools, seven middle schools and seven high schools. Last school year, 30,486 students attended its schools. Its enrollment fell by almost 11% in the past decade.
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Related: Keller ISD trustees approve closing three schools.
Ahead of the Nov. 3 election, here’s what you need to know.
What is a bond?
Similar to a home mortgage, a bond is a contract to repay borrowed money with interest over time. Essentially, the district is taking out a loan and paying it back.
School districts can sell bonds to competing lenders to pay for major renovations and construction projects. Districts are required by law to ask voters for permission to sell bonds to investors. Bond funds cannot be used to pay for daily expenses, like teacher salaries or supplies.
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What will voters get with Keller ISD’s bond money?
Keller ISD’s bond proposal is broken into five parts. School districts are required to separate their bond election into ballot propositions, allowing voters to veto certain projects, while approving others.
Proposition A ($756.3 million) would fund maintenance, repairs and renovations at 34 campuses and facilities. That includes a partial rebuild of Keller Middle School; previous bond money constructed new additions.
Proposition B ($28 million) would fund technology upgrades for staff and students.
Proposition C ($8.867 million) would help repair the natatorium’s water filtration, dehumidifiers and HVAC systems. The facility is currently closed.
Proposition D ($11 million) would fund repairs to the district’s Athletic Complex and Keller High School Field House. That includes lighting, track and turf replacement, and restroom renovations.
Proposition E ($23.9 million) would help install artificial turf fields at all middle schools and high school baseball and softball fields. The district says it is among the few in northeast Tarrant County with grass competition fields, and the three middle school fields cannot be used this school year, according to the bond website.
If approved, the projects would begin in 2027 over the next three to five years.
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How did Keller ISD identify what to include in the bond?
A committee of 65 community members considered the state of current buildings and evaluated district finances. The group met six times before presenting their recommendations to the board of trustees.
Some classrooms have reached 90 degrees after air conditioning systems failed, and some campuses have struggled with sewage backups, according to the bond website and testimony during the August board meeting. The district has been taking millions of dollars out of its operations budget — which is reserved for day-to-day expenses — to address these issues.
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“This bond offers a strategic approach as we look to the future,” said Superintendent Cory Wilson in a news release. “Now, our responsibility is to engage with the community with clear, factual information about each proposition as the November election approaches.”
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But during the August meeting, trustee Chris Coker said the district was “maxing out credit cards.” Voters will be more likely to support a smaller package that can fix immediate needs, he said.
“My issue is not with the bond in general. My issue is with the amount of the bond,” he said. “I think we’re going about this the wrong way.”
How much will the bond cost homeowners in property taxes?
The tax rate will not increase, if the bond package is approved.
When was Keller ISD’s last bond election?
The district’s last bond election was in 2019 and did not raise the property tax rate. The package provided $315 million for projects, like replacing elementary schools and upgrading technology. All projects were completed under budget, according to the district website.
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When is the election?
Election Day is Nov. 3. Early voting runs Oct. 19 to Oct. 30. The last day to register to vote in the November election is Oct. 5.
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