Election Following Citizens’ Advisory Committee Recommendations
At the June Board Meeting, the Alvin ISD Board of Trustees called for a $380.1 million bond election for the upcoming November ballot that could be achieved with a reduction in the Alvin ISD tax rate. This decision follows a presentation and recommendation by the Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC), a group consisting of community members, elected officials, and business leaders, who were tasked with evaluating the district’s facilities.
The CAC, chaired by community members Travis McGuire and Annette Riley, held five public meetings throughout the spring. The committee’s goal was to provide comprehensive facility recommendations to the Board of Trustees, focusing on educational needs, providing adequate and appropriate learning environments, ensuring fiscal soundness, addressing aging facilities, and addressing student enrollment growth.
During the Alvin ISD Board meeting, McGuire, Riley, and additional presenters Melba Ervin, Jerrod Ruddick, and Rick Solis, presented their findings and highlighted a solution that would address significant growth while also enabling a reduction in the tax rate.
Erwin referenced key facts including projections indicating that Alvin ISD anticipates increasing by 3,356 students over the next five years, bringing the total enrollment to over 33,000 by fall 2028. The committee identified the growing student population requires action to avoid campus overcrowding.
One of the committee’s charges was to look at how to address aging facilities within the district.
“We were impressed by the district’s detailed planning and budgeting process to maintain and improve facilities, ensuring older campuses don’t fall into disrepair. As a community member and taxpayer, I was pleased to see routine maintenance handled through the operational budget rather than relying solely on bond funds,” shared Rick Solis. “The Facility Condition Index analysis provided a high-level view of the facilities needing attention, enabling us to make informed recommendations.” Those recommendations included a replacement campus for Stevenson Primary and Disney Elementary as well as renovations to Manvel High School and Alvin High School while also adding student capacity.
The bond recommendation includes funding for the following projects:
• Two New Elementary Schools: Construction of two new elementary schools totaling $91,974,826.
• Replacement Campus Combining Stevenson Primary and Walt Disney Elementary: A new elementary school to replace the aging campuses costing $44,333,786.
• New Junior High School: Construction of a new junior high campus costing $88,243,752.
High School Renovations:
• Alvin High School ($97,674,491) including:
-Additional Student Capacity – 400-500 students
-Expansion of campus facilities to increase capacity and comparability with other campuses
• Updated Career and Technical Education Spaces (Replacement of Luke Kennedy Vocational Building & T Building)
• Repurpose Historic Auditorium Space as the front entrance to the campus, enabling other spaces to be converted to classrooms
• Enhanced Campus Security
• Removal of older temporary buildings
Manvel High School ($46,248,443) including:
• Additional Student Capacity – 400-500 students
• Expansion of campus facilities to increase capacity and comparability with other campuses
• Updated Career and Technical Education Spaces
• Enhanced Campus Security
• Removal of older temporary buildings
Safety, Security, and Land: Update security vestibules for 23 schools, backup generation power for selected schools, update security monitoring equipment, and purchasing land for future school sites totaling $24,600,000.
“This bond proposal reflects the diligent efforts of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee and their work to provide a recommendation focused on priorities that will also enable our tax payers to see a reduction in their tax rate. I would like to thank the CAC for their dedicated work and for bringing a thoughtful and fiscally responsible recommendation for our Board,” shared Alvin ISD Superintendent Carol Nelson.
The bond, totaling $380,075,298, also benefits from $15 million in savings from the 2018 bond. McGuire expressed appreciation to the district for carefully managing the 2018 bond projects, which resulted in significant savings. He also commended the district for transparently allocating these savings towards the committee’s recommendations.
The Alvin ISD Board of Trustees is committed to reducing the I&S tax rate by 2 cents in September of 2024 and, should the bond proposition be approved, the Board has committed to reducing an additional 2 cents in 2025. This would equate to a savings of approximately $120 per year on a home valued at $400,000 with an applied homestead exemption.
The bond election will be held on November 5, 2024, with early voting from October 21 to November 1.
