Keaton PetersThis article was written using information found in the National Bond Report from Strategic Partnerships, Inc. This comprehensive report features information on every public entity planning to hold a bond election. To purchase this report, click here.
A fast-growing Texas school district in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will soon vote on a major spending package. The Celina Independent School District is proposing a $2.3 billion bond to fund 10 new schools, including a second high school, as the district prepares for its student population to triple within the next decade. The bond package, which would not increase the district’s current tax rate, was unanimously approved by the school board to appear before voters on the May 3 ballot.
The largest single project in the bond package is a $631.9 million allocation for the district’s second high school, planned to open in 2029 or 2030. The package also includes funding for two new middle schools, seven elementary schools and various infrastructure improvements across the district.
With the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex experiencing dramatic population growth, suburban school districts are racing to expand capacity. Celina ISD projects its student population will surge from current levels to over 23,870 students by the 2033-34 school year, creating urgent needs for new facilities and infrastructure.
“Without this bond, we will face severe overcrowding that could compromise the quality of education,” said Ben Hangartner, in an article published by Community Impact. Hangartner is a member of the bond committee that developed the proposal through six meetings between October 2023 and January 2024.
The bond package is structured into two propositions. Proposition A encompasses most of the projects, including:
- $631.9 million for a new high school.
- $453.4 million for two new middle schools.
- $589.7 million for seven new elementary schools.
- $125.4 million for renovations to the existing Celina High School.
- $260 million for land acquisition.
- $40 million for safety and security improvements.
- $16 million for new buses.
Proposition B allocates $20 million for technology infrastructure and devices.
The district plans to begin selling bond installments in August 2025, pending voter approval. According to district officials, the bond program can be executed without increasing the current tax rate of $1.2358 per $100 valuation, likely due to the area’s expanding tax base from rapid development.
Some projects, including a new administration building and another new elementary school, were deferred to future bond programs, which may be necessary as the area continues to grow. District projections indicate it may need to operate three to four high schools within the next 20 years to accommodate growth.
Early voting for the bond election begins April 22 and runs through April 29, with election day scheduled for May 3. The district last went to voters for a bond package in May 2019, when it secured approval for a $600 million program.
Photo courtesy Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
