Voters in the Northside ISD will be asked in May to pony up for a nearly one billion dollar school bond issue, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The $848.91 million dollar package was unanimously approved by trustees Tuesday night following nearly a year of planning by a 250 member 2018 Citizens Bond Committee. It will be on the ballot in May.
One of the highlights of the bond issue will be a new high school in Northside, which is the third largest school district in Texas and one of the fastest growing, with more than 100,000 students. The location of the new high school, the 12th in the Northside ISD, will be in the fast growing Galm road area.
Three other new schools would be built, but 67% of the money would go to improvements and upgrades to the district's existing school buildings.
The improvements would include bullet-resistant security lobbies at 44 elementary schools, and constructing 'shade structures' at elementary school playgrounds.
Funds also call for the addition of a new magnet school program at Marshall High School, similar to Communications Arts at Taft and Business Careers at Holmes.
The Northside ISD board broke down the proposed spending this way:
New Schools $280,300,000
Renovations/Reconstruction/Upgrades $329,460,000
Infrastructure $ 85,200,000
Roofing/Waterproofing $ 20,450,000
Safety & Security $ 34,700,000
Technology $ 73,800,000
Transportation $ 15,000,000
Bond Issuance & Management $ 10,000,000
The last bond issue in the Northside ISD was approved in 2014.