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The Pearland Independent School District Board of Trustees called for a May 4 bond election to address infrastructure and district-wide technology needs.
Determining the need for technology and facility infrastructure bonds within Pearland ISD was comprehensive and rooted in careful analysis and planning.
The district started by thoroughly assessing its current technology and infrastructure assets. This involved evaluating the condition of existing facilities, finding any shortcomings or areas needing improvement, and checking if the technology resources were enough to support modern educational needs. After gathering assessment data, analyzing it, and taking input from stakeholders and consulting experts, the district formulated a detailed long-term plan for facilities and technology. These plans laid out strategic goals, priorities, and recommendations to address identified needs and ensure that facilities and technology infrastructure align with educational objectives.
The bond package, which seeks to address facility issues identified as top priorities by the committee, includes. . .
Infrastructure Proposition
Electrical: district-wide upgrades to lighting for cost efficiency and added security, including replacement of old lamps for LED indoor and outdoor and addition/replacement of deteriorated light poles; wiring and extension of circuits of existing generators at multiple locations; and replacement of aging electrical components.
HVAC: Replacement and rebuild of HVAC deteriorated system/components, including chiller, boiler, heating and domestic boilers, air handler, and more, at several campuses, district stadium, and Transportation East facility, as well as district-wide replacement of pipe insulation.
Plumbing: Replacement of aging roofing components, including roof drain “cow tongues” (Turner/PJH South), water lines (PJH West), and drainage improvements (Carleston drive).
Roofing: Replacement of existing roofs at PJH East, Rogers, Jamison, East Transportation, PACE Center, Shadycrest, Old ESC, PJH West, and Athletic buildings at PHS.
Life Safety: Upgrades to existing fire alarm systems at PACE Center, Rogers, Challenger, Rustic Oak, Silverlake, CJ Harris, PJH West Weight Room, East Transportation, PHS (Searcy) and Dawson (partial), elevator rebuilds at PHS, district stadium, Turner (2) and PJH South, district-wide fire sprinkler upgrades, campus handheld radio replacement and first responder radio coverage testing equipment.
Parking and Traffic: Parking lot replacement (Carleston and ESC), additional parking (Challenger) and re-painting of fire lanes (district-wide)
Interior Scope: Interior painting, sound system upgrades, Clock System upgrades, gym ceilings and floor refinish/repair, carpet replacement and slab repair/leveling.
Technology Proposition
The technology bond's total amount covers five years of expenses, which includes replacing teacher and student computers on a one-to-one basis, upgrading classroom technology, and investing in staff, teachers, and shared computers, labs, servers, storage, networking, and a data center.
If the proposed technology and infrastructure bonds are approved, most of the planned expenses for technology and infrastructure will be covered until 2032, allowing capital funds to become available for addressing transportation, program, and other operational needs.
If either or both bond propositions pass, the tax rates will stay consistent at the approved rate of $1.1373, which was established during the fall of 2023 through the passage of Pearland ISD’s Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE). This stability is facilitated by Pearland ISD’s current capacity within the Interest and Sinking budget (I&S), which will cover the bond projects, alleviating the need for adjustments to the operating or Maintenance and Operations (M&O) budget.
A standout among local and state school districts, Pearland ISD has a history of excellence and innovation in fiscal management, having earned state recognition for its cost-effective operations, paired with high academic achievement and overall student success. According to Niche, the district was recently ranked No. 4 in the Houston area out of 53 and No. 30 out of 1,052 school districts in Texas.
“If the technology and facility infrastructure bonds passed, Pearland ISD would maximize available funding without increasing taxes, allowing us to enhance our educational resources and facilities and support creating a sustainable and strong financial future,” Superintendent Larry Berger said.
To vote in the May 4 election, individuals must be registered Brazoria County voters living in Pearland ISD before April 4. A list of polling places will be available closer to the election date.
For information about registering to vote and voting locations, please visit www.votetexas.gov.
If you have questions about the May 4 bond election, visit www.pearlandisd.org/bond or contact Pearland ISD at 281-485-3203.
