The Alvarado ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously on February 14 to call an $125 million bond election for May 7, 2022. The bond proposal will address student capacity issues and aging facilities. The bond will be split into two propositions.

Growth projections estimate the district will grow 23% in the next five years, adding around 900 students. As a district, we will exceed the combined capacity of all elementary campuses by 2025-26 and exceed the combined capacity of all campuses by 2026-27. 

Proposition A is for $107,450,000 and projects include: 

·       New Alvarado Elementary North

·       Expand Lillian Elementary School

·       Convert Alvarado Intermediate School to Alvarado Elementary South (Address Aging Needs)

·       New Alvarado High School Competition Gym

Proposition B is for renovations to the Alvarado High School baseball and softball field for $17,550,000. Due to Texas Election Code, the construction of a stadium or recreational facility (other than a gym) must now be voted on in a separate ballot proposition.

This bond proposal is a part of a district master facility plan that has been developed over the span of several years. Projects from the 2019 bond began a process of grade realignment across the district, and this bond would complete that long-term grade realignment, with PreK-5th grade elementary schools, a 6th-8th grade junior high school, and a 9th-12th grade high school. This will mean fewer changes and transitions for students and greater operational efficiency and cost savings for the district.

Dr. Kenneth Estes, superintendent of Alvarado ISD, says he’s grateful to the volunteers who served on the Facilities Steering Committee. ““We appreciate the hard work of the Facilities Steering Committee members,” he said. “They spent a considerable amount of time studying the needs of our district and factors that would impact a facility recommendation. In the end, the committee developed a comprehensive and mixed approach to address current and future challenges. We are thankful for their service and look forward to discussing and considering their recommendation.”

Compared to the 2020-2021 overall tax rate, the district’s tax rate has decreased $0.09, and will not increase as a result of this bond election, remaining at a tax rate of $1.37 per $100 of taxable property value. Alvarado ISD property taxes for citizens age 65 or older will not be affected as long as a homestead and over 65-exemption application have been filed with the appraisal district. 

Alvarado ISD residents will have the opportunity to vote on the bond referendum during Early Voting, April 25 – May 3, and on Election Day, Saturday, May 7.