Voters pass $2.44 billion bond, elect new trustees

On Tuesday, voters passed all three of Austin ISD’s bond proposals, an investment of $2.44 billion in local schools.

Why it matters: Nearly every campus will receive improvements with these bond funds, which will help the district save money on repairs and maintenance by modernizing many of its older campuses, freeing up money that can be used to increase teacher pay.

What they’re saying: “This is a day to celebrate, and now we roll up our sleeves and get to work. We are 90% finished with work from the 2017 bond package, so we can hit the ground running on these new bond projects to advance equity in our community.” --Board of Trustees President Geronimo Rodriguez.

More info: Voters also elected four former new members of the Board of Trustees and re-elected one incumbent.

  • David Kauffman, Andrew Gonzales, Candace Hunter and Kathryn Whitley Chu will join the board in December, and current Board Secretary Arati Singh will return as the at-large Position 9 trustee.

What’s next: The district will be forming architectural teams with families and community stakeholders for all campuses that are slated for renovations.

  • Work will begin on bond projects in Summer 2023, starting with safety upgrades to keep students and teachers safe.