Have a question? Submit it below.
When are the Bond Informational Presentations?
COMMUNITY Meetings open to anyone who lives in alvarado isd
Monday, February 28
6:30 p.m.
AEN (Elementary North)
Download Presentation
Monday, April 4
6:30 p.m.
AES (Elementary South)
Thursday, March 31
6:30 p.m.
AISD Administration Building
Frequently Asked Questions
PROJECT-RELATED QUESTIONS
What will happen to the current AES campus?
Although no decisions have been made on this at this time, we have discussed using the kindergarten building for daycare. We may be able to demolish the main building and build another campus on this site at a future date as we continue to grow.
What will happen to the current AEN campus?
No decision has been made at this time as to what will happen with AEN. This building has had a lot of foundation movement. The size of the site, the costs associated with trying to correct the foundation issue and the building deficiencies limit what we will be able to do with this site in the future.
Where will the new AEN be?
This decision has not been made yet. The district owns approximately 100 acres adjacent to the junior high, and this is a probable location for the school.
Will AES keep its name if it moves to AIS?
Yes
What does AIS renovation entail?
Renovating the end of first classroom wing to make 4 PreK classrooms with plumbing, renovating end of other classroom wins to make 4 classrooms - no plumbing, new front entry canopy, new bus loop canopy, roofing replacement, new HVAC.
When was the practice field built at AHS? Was bond money used to build the practice field at AHS?
It was built in the Spring of 2016. No bond money was used to build the practice field at AHS.
When will cross walks be added at AEN and AES?
There is a crosswalk already at AEN. We are not aware of plans for a crosswalk at AES.
Will Cummings street get fixed if we build a new elementary school?
School taxes are levied to build facilities to support education. Cummings is a city street. The district has paid for a traffic study to look at traffic on Cummings, and we have partnered with the city to submit a grant to make improvements to Cummings.
What happens if the bond does not pass?
We may have to convert some of our support spaces into classrooms, make adjustments to our schedules, and add additional portable buildings to our campuses.
Have you talked about re-districting?
Yes. We may have to make changes to our elementary school boundaries as we grow.
FINANCE-RELATED QUESTIONS
Exactly what and how much is the proposed bond package?
The Board of Trustees called a bond election in the amount of $125 million to fund new Alvarado Elementary North, expand Lillian Elementary School, convert Alvarado Intermediate School to Alvarado Elementary South, add a competition gym at Alvarado High School and renovate the softball and baseball fields.
How can the district call a bond election with no increase to the tax rate?
The Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate is set at $0.50, which is the maximum rate the Board can set under current state law. The district will use funds generated from the 50-cent I&S rate to accelerate debt payments in future years.
What if I am over 65 years old? What is the tax rate I pay?
Residents 65 and over are eligible for an “over 65” exemption. If you have applied for and received the age 65 and older exemption on your homestead, by law, your school taxes cannot be raised above their frozen level. The amount of taxes you pay is determined by the tax amount at the time your taxes were frozen.
Where can I find answers to my questions about the Over 65 Exemption?
The Comptroller website has a list of Frequently Asked Questions.
How will the district pay down debt?
By setting the I&S rate at 50 cents, the district has been paying down existing debt at a faster rate, and will continue with this strategy.
Are you worried about inflation and pricing?
Yes, we have seen inflation in prices and heard about the inflation on projects for other districts. Our architects did, however, plan for inflation in their budget numbers.
My tax rate will not go up but will it make my values go up?
No. The tax rate will have no impact on the values. There is no relationship between the tax rate and the assessed value of homes. The school has nothing to do with the assessment of values for homes.
GENERAL BOND QUESTIONS
What is a bond?
A bond is similar to a home mortgage. It is a contract to repay borrowed money with interest over time. Bonds are sold by a school district to competing lenders to raise funds to pay for the costs of construction, renovations and equipment. Most school districts in Texas utilize bonds to finance renovations and new facilities.
What is a bond election?
Bond elections are called by school districts to ask voters for permission to sell bonds in order to obtain money required for capital projects such as renovations or building a new school. Essentially, when voters approve a bond election, they give the school district permission to take out a loan and pay that loan back over an extended period of time, much like a family takes out a mortgage for their home.
How can bond funds be used?
Bond funds can be used to pay for new buildings, additions and renovations to existing facilities, land acquisition, new buses, technology infrastructure and equipment for new or existing buildings. Bonds cannot be used for salaries or operating costs such as utility bills, supplies, building maintenance, fuel and insurance.
How was the bond package developed?
The bond package was developed by the Facilities Steering Committee, which consisted of parents, community members, and business and civic leaders. The committee presented its recommendation to the Alvarado ISD Board of Trustees in December 2021 after studying growth trends, facility assessments and financial data. The Board voted unanimously to call for a bond election.
Do I have to live in Alvarado to vote?
You must live or have property within the Alvarado ISD boundaries in order to vote.
Are there concerns about conservative enrollment projections?
We feel fairly confident in our projections. We hired a demographer that has a very good professional reputation to develop our enrollment projections. These projections are based on information gathered from developers in our area and from census data. The company we have hired feels fairly confident in their projections for the next five years.