Bastrop ISD proposes $322 million bond to address growth, build new schools

Walls are up and construction is well underway at Colony Oaks Elementary School, 601 Sam Houston Drive near Bastrop, one of two new campuses scheduled to open in the Bastrop district this fall to address growth and overcrowding.

However, even before the concrete is dried on the new campuses, Bastrop officials already have reached out to voters to ask for additional bond money to build more schools and expand others.

Ballooning subdivisions, at-capacity classrooms and projections of future growth moved Bastrop district officials to propose a $321.5 million bond, which voters will decide next week and would build new campuses, enhance safety infrastructure and invest millions in improvements at other schools.

The bond package would build the district’s ninth and 10th elementary schools, upgrade campus safety and add new rooms to accommodate more students.

What's on the ballot: Austin-area voters to decide school board, bond elections

The district would spend $17.7 million to build a multipurpose facility for district police and install new security cameras. An additional $31 million would be allocated to building renovations, additional classrooms, playground equipment and furniture.

The bulk of the bond package — $272.8 million — would build the new schools, convert the intermediate schools to middle schools, replace Mina Elementary School and add new fine arts and academic classrooms, according to the district.

Despite its growth, Bastrop hasn’t seen a new school open since 2009, said Kristi Lee, deputy superintendent.

The new elementary schools slated to open this fall will start the year almost near capacity, Lee said.

“We could be looking at needing to build an elementary school per year,” Lee said.

Early voting: What you need to know about Prop A and Prop B.

Many of the roads near the new Colony Oaks school aren’t yet paved, and signs advertising the neighborhood's amenities line the medians.

Between 2012 and 2022, the number of home sales increased by 70%, from 1,353 to 2,300, according to the district.

The two-story Colony Oaks school will have big, sweeping windows and secure entry vestibules, said Kristi Kisamore, the principal of the new elementary school.

Kisamore has been with the district for 11 years and noticed the district trying to keep class sizes small during her own son’s time in Bastrop schools, she said.

“Kids are coming, so we need a place for them,” Kisamore said.

The crowding at existing campuses has created logistical challenges, such as school pickup and coordinating enough lunch times to fit all the children into the cafeteria, she said.

Since 2018, the district’s enrollment has grown from 11,081 students to 12,506, a 12.9% increase, according to the district. The district expects enrollment will reach 19,601 by 2033, a 56.7% increase.

The growth is expected to continue, so the district predicts it will continue to need more facilities.

“Not only are we meeting our needs as a district for our students and staff,” Lee said. “We’re meeting the demands of the families that are coming to the area. They want top-notch facilities.”

Early voting ends May 2. Election day is May 6.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas elections: Bastrop school district proposes $322M bond