Your Vote Counts 2023: Understanding CSISD’s Proposition A

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – As election day approaches in College Station, voters have the opportunity to decide the future of its schools.

The College Station Independent School District is putting forth a nearly $351 million bond to fund improvements through a series of propositions labeled A, B, C, and D, but state law requires each to be voted on separately.

Proposition A would provide the school district with nearly $285 million in funding for renovations and enhancements in local schools, emphasizing improved safety and security measures, and investing in the Transportation Department, with a focus on acquiring new buses.

“Our fleet is in need of upgrading, so there’d be 64 new buses purchased over four years,” said College Station ISD Superintendent Tim Harkrider.

One of the schools that would benefit greatly from the passage of Proposition A is Rock Prairie Elementary School. The proposed changes for Rock Prairie Elementary include the expansion of the cafeteria, the removal of a portable building that has been in use since 1997, renovations to create additional interior space within a courtyard, and converting an existing retention pond into additional parking space.

Additional items covered under Proposition A involve additions and renovations to high schools, central office expansions and upgrades, improvements to technology infrastructure, and land acquisition for future growth, as outlined by Superintendent Harkrider. The overarching goal is to enhance existing campuses rather than opting for a third comprehensive high school.

“It’s a much better financial decision for the district versus trying to look at a third comprehensive high school that would cost somewhere between $200 and $300 million. And really, we do not have the growth to step into that cycle at this point in time,” Harkrider said.

The community is now tasked with making a crucial decision on Proposition A, recognizing its potential to positively impact the local school district, but opponents of the overall bond package say now is not the time to push an increase in taxes on property owners, especially those who are struggling to make ends meet due to inflation.

“We believe that the biggest thing, honestly, is to be informed. There are many misconceptions about bonds,” College Station ISD Superintendent Tim Harkrider emphasized in a recent interview with KBTX.

To learn more about the bond, each of the propositions, and its impact on taxes, go here to the school district’s website.

PROPOSITION A: General ($284,975,000) Districtwide Safety & Security Renovations to Rock Prairie Elementary A&M Consolidated HS Additions and Renovations Phase II College Station HS Additions and Renovations Phase II Career and Technical Education Center College View HS Cosmetology Lab Middle School Playing Fields Renovations Central Office Additions and Renovations Transportation Technology Infrastructure Facilities Maintenance Improvements Land AcquisitionPROPOSITION B: Technology Devices ($14,145,000)PROPOSITION C: Football Stadiums ($38,475,000) Tiger Stadium Field House Additions and Renovations Tiger Stadium Renovations Cougar Stadium RenovationsPROPOSITION D: Baseball/Softball Stadiums ($13,270,000)