Upcoming Red Oak ISD bond election explained
RED OAK – The Red Oak ISD School Bond election in May has residents on both sides of the four propositions asking questions.
For a quick look, the four Propositions on the ballot next month include:
PROPOSITION A – $156.8M
High School
NEW career & technical education addition
Campus practice gym addition & renovations
Middle School
NEW middle school on the west side of town (land already acquired)
Safety modifications to existing middle school
Elementary Schools
Addition to Wooden ES (8 classrooms, new cafeteria)
Addition to Eastridge ES (8 classrooms, new cafeteria)
District-Wide
Maintenance items
Playgrounds (all 5 elementary schools)
Energy management system upgrades
PROPOSITION B – $45M
Goodloe Stadium
Rebuild stadium to current codes, additional parking and seating, 8 lane track (UIL) and LED field lighting
New restrooms, locker rooms, and concessions
PROPOSITION C – $9.3M
High school athletic improvements
New JV stadium track and turf field
Baseball/softball artificial turf at existing fields
Resurface existing tennis courts
PROPOSITION D – $19M
Transportation facility
New facility and parking
On the Red Oak ISD website page offering information about the upcoming Bond Election, the website stated that since Fall 2021, a Citizen’s Facility Planning Committee of just under 50 diverse volunteer members have been meeting to develop a plan for the future facility development of the district.
These members sat through hours of presentations on growth and demographics, facility assessments, financial situations, and implications of various scenarios for building construction, improvements, and renovations finally recommending the bond to be sent to the voters.
The results are the four Proposition on the May 7 ballot.
Of strong concern to one resident, Penny Story, speaking at a recent Red Oak City Council meeting against the 30-year bond totaling $230,100,000, she said this bond would be a total of $336,495,125 after principal and interest.
Story’s major concerns with the bond seemed to stem from the new playgrounds, a new middle school that she said will be outgrown by the time it is built, and a tax increase the bond package could impose on residents if passed.
TAX INCREASE
“Bond taxation removes money from family bank accounts for many years,” Story said. “Money that could be used by families to take care of their children. Money that may be needed to pay for basic shelter, food, clothes, transportation to work, family vacations and recreation. Money to pay for children to take music lessons, dance lessons, library fees, money for fees and uniforms to play sports, money for church camp.”
Story said Red Oak ISD taxpayers owe almost $90 million plus interest for the next 16 to 17 years already, adding that bonds are usually a “a 30-year debt. A new bond means double taxation for 16 to 17 years.”
Story said she had the Red Oak ISD CFO, Superintendent of Business pull some numbers and as of April 7, taxpayers “are saddled today with seven bonds with a face value of $95,970,000, which mature over the next 17 years,”
Story continued, “In addition, as of April 10, 2022, ROISD taxpayers are saddled with a $4,350,000 Maintenance Tax Note, which matures in 2034.”
In a word, Story said she is concerned that if this bond passes, ROISD taxpayers will owe $436,815,125 in total.
“Bonds are typically sold over a 30-year repayment, similar to a home mortgage. Bond elections passed in 1999, 2002, and 2007 would have been issued as needed for described projects – including several schools and renovations – and would still be within those 30-year notes,” Red Oak Independent School District Director of Communications Beth Trimble said. “We are paying off two additional notes, which will actually expand our bonding capacity without a tax rate increase to $206 million, but voter approval is required to purchase the bonds to fund the projects on the propositions.”
And, while a tax increase is a concern for Red Oak residents, so is school overcrowding. Trimble said however there are approximately 94% of the $156.8M in Proposition A addressing overcrowding concerns.
“The tax impact on a $300,000 home is $5.11 a month or $61.36 a year, if all four propositions pass,” Trimble explained. “We are sympathetic to our Hawk families and the community, but we also must address overcrowded and aging facilities to provide educational facilities for our students. The Citizen’s Facility Planning Committee – 48 volunteer members who requested to serve – were equally sympathetic, but as prices rise – 2017 costs for projects have doubled - they felt the most prudent move was to allow voters the choice by developing four propositions.”
Also, take into consideration how many students are attending Red Oak ISD versus the many charter schools appearing everywhere these days.
“After a slight decrease in year one of the pandemic, we rebounded with over 300 students since the start of last school year as of November 2021,” Trimble said. “Current as of today (mid-April) there are 6,382 students.”
In fact, there has been an estimated number of 950 students by 2026 in Red Oak ISD, and Davis Demographics projected this enrollment growth based on housing and other residential developments.
“The only correction would be the addition of the apartments on Red Oak Road that will add to ROE, the decline would be less than originally projected,” Trimble stated.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Regarding the new middle school Story explained, “The proposed middle school for a population of 1,200 students is inadequate based on current overcrowding and projected growth during the estimated three-year move-in date. The proposed school will be overcrowded almost immediately.”
Trimble said, “Red Oak Middle School is currently over 152% enrollment capacity for the facility and is expected to grow to 163% by the year 2026. Davis Demographics projected the middle school enrollment for 2026 to be 1,679.”
Story added, “There will be 163% growth or 1,956 students within four years. This is overcrowding of approximately 756 students by the projected three-year move in date.”
Trimble said now the ISD is, “Addressing the space needs by expanding into the current CTE facility adjacent to the middle school.”
At the moment there are four middle school classes at the CTE facility.
“We are modifying a staff development room and relocating the Education Foundation for more classrooms, and we are working on an agreement with TSTC to temporarily move some high school CTE classes to their facility at the back of the high school and make more space for middle school,” Trimble added. “The last resort, due to safety concerns, would be to add portables to the middle school campus. Portables would not be purchased by bond funds – they don’t typically last 30 years – but by capital project funding. Each two-classroom unit will cost approximately $100,000 plus set up.”
Story noted the portables were not in the bond package, but as Trimble said that was not an intention of the bond.
“There is no solution for immediate current student overcrowding or three-year student population growth,” Story said. “We need immediate student relief.”
If Proposition A passes, which includes a new middle school on land already purchased on the west side of I-35 and south of Ovilla Road, Red Oak ISD would then have two middle schools with a total capacity for grades six through eight of approximately 2,200 students.
“The current middle school enrollment is just under 1,600 including the use of the extra CTE space and every possible educational space at the main and west campuses (formerly the 6th-grade center),” Trimble said.
PLAYGROUND
Concerning the playground, which also came up in questions by Story asking if these were necessary.
According to Red Oak ISD, elementary students typically spend 30 minutes a day on the playground.
While the idea of maintenance to the current equipment had been discussed Trimble said, “We are not conducting maintenance but doing replacements at four schools. Many of the playgrounds are older and we can no longer acquire parts.”
The all-new playgrounds will be at four of the elementary schools with the newer Shields Elementary only needing upgrades, not a full playground replacement.
“Playgrounds will be ADA compliant including access, ramps and sidewalks, ground coverage, and the playgrounds themselves,” Trimble said. “It is more a matter of ADA accessibility than the equipment. The equipment is aging and needs replacement and will better serve all students, including those with physical needs.”
It was also mentioned that perhaps if playground equipment is to be replaced, could it be done school by school as Capital funds are available versus a bond election.
Trimble said, “Capital funds are used for salaries, utilities, instructional materials and supplies, repairs. We would have to reduce those expenses – cut staff, cut programs, reduce utility costs, purchase fewer instructional materials – to offset needs for projects listed in the bonds.”
Red Oak ISD did just announce this week that Red Oak ISD teachers will be getting pay increases.
“If Prop A does not pass, we will have to address several needs with a priority on overcrowded facilities.” Trimble said. “We will develop a long-term facility plan that would phase in projects over the next several years including relocation of more CTE classes for MS to use CTE building, portables, addressing safety needs, ADA compliance, flood control, and playgrounds.”
If the bond does pass for the new playground portion the playground project timeline will be dependent on not only the election results, but Trimble said too, “The sale of bonds, and construction lead times. Again, priority will be on overcrowding facilities.”
So, with current inflation and an uncertain timeline for receiving materials – exactly how can the cost of a project planned in the future such as these projects be initiated if the Red Oak ISD school bond passes.
Trimble said, “Escalation costs are built into each project. We know of several districts in the state that are now unable to provide items in their bonds due to cost escalations for materials and even labor. We have been intentional in including those costs into the propositions to provide voters with each item should bond propositions pass.”
For her part, Story concluded by asking one more question.
“Who are the initiators of this 30-year bond?”
She suggested it was propagandists who “deliberately select fact and arguments and present them in ways they think will have the most effect. Propagandists who try to divert attention from their own propaganda (such as other school district bonds).”
And, while everyone seemed to agree on that summation, Story concluded with a plea to the Red Oak City Council: “Demand a new bond only for a middle school and immediate portables.”