FAQs

According to state law, school districts must obtain voter approval before issuing bonds to investors in order to secure the necessary capital for projects such as renovating existing facilities or constructing new schools. In effect, voters authorize the district to incur debt, which will be repaid over an extended period, similar to a family obtaining a mortgage to purchase a home. The school board initiates a bond election to give voters the opportunity to determine whether they are willing to finance the proposed facility projects. Upon receiving voter approval, the school board is then empowered to issue and sell bonds when there is a demonstrated need for new or improved facilities.

Bond funds may be utilized for the construction of new buildings, additions, and renovations to existing facilities, as well as for land acquisition, technology infrastructure, and equipment for both new and existing buildings. However, bond funds are not permitted to be used for salaries or operational expenditures, including utility bills, supplies, building maintenance, fuel, and insurance.

Texas school districts are funded by three major sources: Federal, State, and Local. Two factors drive school finance in Texas: enrollment, and local property values. A school district tax rate has two distinct components which, added together, make up the annual school tax rate. 

Maintenance and Operations (M&O) funds are used to fund the day-to-day operations of a school district, including teacher and staff salaries; utilities; student services and curriculum; professional development; and facility maintenance and management.

Interest and Sinking (I&S) funds are generated from the sale of voter-approved bonds. These funds are restricted to use only for projects such as the construction of new facilities, additions and renovations to existing facilities, safety and security projects, and the purchase of capital expense items such as buses and large technology expenses.

School property taxes are set by an annual M&O plus I&S tax rate approved by the district’s Board of Trustees.

Actual property values are determined annually by local appraisal districts. School districts have no control over and do not set local property values.

Waxahachie Independent School District currently manages several aging facilities, some of which are over a century old. Although the district consistently performs routine maintenance on these older buildings, the proposed bond would provide funding for more comprehensive projects aimed at enhancing school safety and preserving the quality of our existing facilities as they continue to age. Additionally, the bond would support the repurposing of certain campuses for use by different grade levels, thereby optimizing the utilization of existing space and minimizing the necessity for new construction.

The 2023 Waxahachie ISD Bond Proposal was developed by a committee consisting of approximately 70 stakeholders representing a broad cross-section of the Waxahachie ISD community. This committee convened for eight meetings between February 2022 and December 2022.

The committee was composed of individuals with diverse perspectives, including parents, students, staff members, grandparents, business and civic leaders, volunteers, retirees, community members, and WISD alumni. Throughout these meetings, the committee thoroughly reviewed and analyzed various aspects of the District, including its demographic trends, historical and projected growth and enrollment patterns, potential tax impacts, district finances, educational programs, and immediate as well as long-term needs. Special attention was also given to workforce requirements pertinent to the area’s expanding business community.

Upon completion of this comprehensive evaluation, the committee formulated a recommendation for a bond proposal. This recommendation was presented to the Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees on December 12, 2022. After careful consideration, the Board of Trustees called for the bond proposal on February 13, 2023.
 

Over the past three years, Waxahachie Independent School District has experienced an increase of 1,500 students and anticipates enrolling approximately 2,000 additional students within the next three years. Projections indicate that the District’s total enrollment will exceed 17,000 students by the early 2030s. The proposed bond will fund the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing ones, thereby addressing current capacity challenges and ensuring the District is well-prepared to accommodate future growth.

The safety of our schools remains our highest priority. Bond 2023 will deliver comprehensive safety, security, and technology enhancements throughout the district. These improvements include the installation of advanced fire alarm systems, secure vestibules and entrances, upgraded video surveillance systems, and the replacement of doors and locking mechanisms to ensure a safer learning environment for all.

Waxahachie High School is forecast to exceed its current functional capacity by 2024-2025. A second comprehensive high school will relieve the challenges of rising student enrollment while also providing more students with opportunities to participate in Career & Technical Education, academic extracurricular programs, fine arts, and athletics.

No. Taxes are “frozen” for taxpayers aged 65 and over or disabled persons under the Homestead Exemption application. These taxpayers see no increase in their tax rate as a result of a school bond election.

A bond is a contract to repay borrowed money with interest over time, similar to a home mortgage. 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.

No. Bond funds can only be used to pay for certain things, like new buildings, additions/renovations to existing facilities, land acquisition, and technology infrastructure/equipment for new or existing buildings.

We expect that this bond will increase the tax rate by 3 cents. For the average homeowner in Waxahachie ISD, this is an increase of approximately $5.61 per month.

Waxahachie ISD is creating a bond oversight committee of WISD taxpayers. This group will meet quarterly and receive information on how bond funds are being spent.

Voters can place a vote on all four propositions.

If approved by voters, the new Wilemon STEAM Academy building will be located on land currently owned by the district off of Business 287, near Waxahachie High School, and neighborhood elementary school #10 will be located on land donated to the district in the Saddlebrook neighborhood. If approved by voters, the second comprehensive high school will be located on land owned by the district just south of the Waxahachie Senior Center on Highway 77. We are still looking for a site for neighborhood elementary school #11.

We anticipate that the campus will open with only students in grade 9, or grades 9 and 10.

The second comprehensive high school will offer all of the same academic, fine arts, and athletic programs as Waxahachie High School. The place where its course offerings may differ is in our Career & Technical Education (CTE) department. A second comprehensive high school offers the district the opportunity to introduce new CTE programs and certification opportunities.

It is too soon to know this because the second comprehensive high school will not likely begin competing at the varsity level until 2029 or 2030. Our demographic projections indicate that by the mid-2030s, we will likely have two 6A high schools (according to current UIL classifications).

Plans for Neighborhood Elementary #10 and Neighborhood Elementary #11 are already owned by the district (purchased in 2021). We will have to purchase plans for the new Wilemon campus. Based on the location of the new Wilemon campus, we expect additional costs for site work. In addition, the Wilemon campus will include specialized academic spaces for project-based and STEAM-focused learning. This new building would give even more students the opportunity to be involved in this program of choice in Waxahachie ISD.

For several years, the WHS football and cheerleading teams have been transported to Lumpkins Stadium for practices. There are not currently enough facilities to accommodate the practices for these teams at WHS. The district is spending thousands of dollars each year on transporting these students to Lumpkins Stadium for practices. This bond would allow the district to build additional facilities to accommodate football and cheerleading practices at WHS, plus expand the weight room and athletic training facilities that will benefit all athletic programs. WHS was built based on plans used for other high schools in the DFW Metroplex, and some of those schools have also since made similar improvements to athletic facilities.

Yes, with the help of our financial advisor, we would sell $60 million of bonds with final maturities of less than 15 years for maintenance items.

The LPRC members were chosen based on recommendations from the Board of Trustees and district administrators.  The group was made up of a diverse group of parents, students, staff members, business leaders, community leaders, grandparents, alumni, and community members.