Several school districts in Texas won public approval for unusually large bond proposals, as voters considered an eye-popping $6.7 billion in bonds across the state.
The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, which is located in the Houston area, was the biggest winner. Voters there soundly approved a $1.2 billion school bond, which was the largest of slate of proposals throughout the state. The bond, which comes with a property tax increase attached, passed with 68.7 percent of the vote, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The Cypress-Fairbanks ISD plans to use the funding to build new schools, renovate existing buildings and add new facilities, like a swimming pool and an agriculture facility.
About $55 million will also go toward security and safety enhancements, like adding security vestibules at 50 campuses, stand-alone emergency call phones, lockdown panic buttons and bullet-proof glass at front entrances and windows.
Voters also approved a $663 million bond proposal for Arlington, a $648 million proposal for Northside and $287 million for Pflugerville. Other districts, like Wichita Falls, Marshall, Eanes and Navasota, didn’t fare so well. Those bond proposals failed.
