Denton ISD is lining up a major summer facelift for two of its elementary schools, with trustees voting to greenlight roughly $41 million in repair work at Sam Houston and McNair during a Tuesday board meeting. The projects are slated for summer construction windows to keep classroom disruption to a minimum.
Trustees signed off on guaranteed maximum prices that cap construction costs at about $19.22 million for Sam Houston and $19.29 million for McNair, according to the district's board agenda. Those caps represent the most the contractor can bill without coming back to the board, clearing the path for Denton ISD staff to hammer out vendor contracts and detailed timelines.
Costs and scope
Once project fees are added in, Sam Houston’s total comes to about $20.06 million and McNair’s to roughly $21.21 million, as reported by Community Impact. McNair’s renovation list includes new flooring and paint, plumbing work and updated fencing. Over at Sam Houston, plans call for insulation upgrades, new tile, fresh paint and equipment replacements, according to district documents cited in the same reporting.
Funding and bond context
The district expects to cover the work with proceeds from its 2023 bond program, according to Denton ISD's 2023 bond page. Voters approved that bond package in May 2023, creating a record-setting capital plan aimed at tackling growth, safety needs and facility upgrades across Denton ISD.
Timeline and what comes next
According to the board packet, campus construction is scheduled for the summer of 2026 so crews are not working around students and staff during the school year. Approving the guaranteed maximum prices lets district officials move into the contract-finalizing phase and lock in schedules with construction partners.
The agenda materials lay out fee breakdowns and specific deliverables that will shape how work is phased and staged on each campus, according to the district's board agenda. Parents and staff are being encouraged to keep an eye on district communications for campus-by-campus details on staging, traffic changes and safety guidance as timelines are refined.
For those who want to dig into the fine print, the full board packet and attached project documents are posted on Denton ISD’s public meeting site.
