Georgetown Independent School District has officially thrown its hat into the election ring, calling for a hefty $649 million bond to be voted on this May. The bond is laced with intentions to expand and maintain school facilities amid an anticipated swell in student population. Trustees green-lighted the move on February 12, lining up four propositions that will make their way to the ballots on May 4.
After a comprehensive chew-over of the district's needs by the Citizens Advisory Committee, a proposal was laid out to float the bond, urging a $0.01 uptick in the district's tax rate. The committee's scrutiny was presented during a workshop on February 5. Around 1,200 GISD residents were surveyed, with 63% favoring the tax rate hike. If the voters give a thumbs-up, they'd be adjusting their budget to account for a $33.24 increase in the annual property tax on the average district home, breaking down to an additional $2.77 per month, according to a statement obtained by Community Impact.
The bond would intentionally tackle the needs of a district struggling to keep up with the fast-paced growth. One of the motivators for the bond is the anticipation of an additional 6,000 students crowding into the district by 2033.
Already reaching near capacity, three elementary schools, two middle schools, and East View High School are scrambling to ready themselves for the 2027-2028 school year when the surge is expected to crest. New facilities, as per the GISD board's release, would be strategically placed in growth hotspots to alleviate this crowding, as reported by KXAN.
