Skip to main content
District

BOND 2024

Required Bond Information Postings

Notice of Election Posting - English

 

Notice of Election - Spanish (Aviso de Elección - Español)

Ballot Language(Idioma de la boleta)

Order Calling Election

 

Order Calling Election (Orden de convocatoria de elecciones - Español)

 

LInk to video about Bond 2024

Click to watch a short video about Bond 2024

Bond 2024 Information

January 26, 2024 – The Navarro Independent School District announces a $120 million bond election scheduled to take place on May 4, 2024. The decision comes after the Board reviewed the work of the District Long-Range Master Planning Committee Recommendations presented during a Special Board Meeting on January 22, 2024, and subsequent approval by the Board of Trustees during a second Special Board Meeting on January 24, 2024.

The District Long-Range Master Planning Committee, consisting of 33 community members, parents, students, faculty, and staff, dedicated their time from November 2023 to January 2024 to assess the current state of the district, demographics, areas no longer meeting current standards, financial impacts, and opportunities with current facilities. 

The Long-Range Master Planning Committee identified campus capacities noting that Navarro Elementary and Navarro Intermediate will hit capacity in the current spaces in Fall of 2026 & Fall of 2027 school years. They also discussed traffic congestion on Link Rd during drop-off and pick up times.  Another topic for the committee was the New High School will not have athletic facilities on-site for outdoor sports including baseball, softball, tennis, or a football stadium for games.  The committee addressed pro’s and con’s of off-site athletic facilities including effects on master schedules to allow for students to have time to get to facilities off premises for practice and games as well as the transportation considerations and added resources needed to safely bus children to and from off-site practice and game facilities. The committee’s work resulted in a 10-year facilities plan aimed at addressing projected growth and modern educational standards.  

According to the Zonda Education demographic team's Fall 23-24 Report, Navarro ISD’s growth projected to increase from 2,438 students in Fall 2023/2024 to 6,049 students in 2033/2034. With 18 actively building subdivisions and 12 future subdivisions in progress, the district’s facilities will be unable to support this growth.

The bond election, unanimously approved 7-0 by the Board of Trustees, aims to address instructional requirements or standards, refresh for some of the current facilities, and provide athletic facilities to support the district's growth. Given recent guidance from the Texas Attorney General, who approves bonds before they can issue, the election is split into three propositions.  Proposition A addresses general school facilities. Proposition B  addresses a stadium with seating over 1,000, while Proposition C addresses athletic facilities with seating less than 1,000.  The District, however, intends to operate all athletic facilities as a comprehensive athletic complex serving all students within the District.

The $120 million bond is divided into three separate propositions to address current legal requirements:

Proposition A: Growth & Reinvestment - $73,700,000

  • New Elementary 2-5 Campus on New Site
  • Existing Elementary and Intermediate Refresh
  • Safety and Security Enhancements (Access Control, Video Surveillance, & Video Intercom)
  • Chiller Replacement at Existing High School
  • Drives and Parking
  • Project Contingencies
  • Jr High Remodel/Refresh/Expansion (Classroom construction, corridor/covered walkway, construction, paint, flooring, electrical)

Proposition B: New Athletic Stadium - $35,500,000

  • Football, Soccer, Track & Field Facilities (7,000 seating)
  • Concessions, Restrooms, and Field House

Proposition C: New Baseball & Softball Turf Fields, Tennis Courts, Restrooms, & Concessions - $10,800,000

  • New Baseball & Softball Turf Fields
  • Tennis Courts
  • Restrooms and Concessions

Proposed new athletic complex (draft rendering)

District Growth

Bar Graph of Navarro ISD Historical Growth in Student Population, 2016-17 through 2022-23; data provided by Zonda Education

Bar graph of Navarro ISD Projected Enrollment, 2018-19 through 2033-34; data provided by Zonda Education

Tax Information

The bond will be sold in stages to minimize tax implications for the community. However, the Financial Advisor has advised that depending on property values and bond interest rates, it is possible we would reach the maximum allowed debt service rate which could mean an 8.5 cent increase over time.

Maximum possible tax impact to taxpayer/property owner, 2024-25 I&S Increase and 2025-26 I&S Increase, with yearly and monthly impact listed

OVER AGE 65—If a homeowner receives the Age-65 Freeze on his or her homestead, the school taxes are frozen and cannot be raised above the frozen level unless significant improvements beyond normal repairs or maintenance are made to the home. Examples of a “significant improvement” would be adding a garage, building a game room, or adding a swimming pool to your property.

Election Information: Deadline to Register to Vote - April 4, 2024

Voting Information

Full list of Guadalupe County April 22-30 Early Voting Locations

Full list of Guadalupe County May 4th Polling Locations

Guadalupe County Elections Office Information

 

Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Process

Navarro Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee Draft Proposed Recommendations Subject to Board and Voter Approval to be Reviewed and Adjusted Annually as NeededThe Navarro ISD Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee is made up of faculty, staff, students, parents, and community members who came together to discuss and make informed decisions to manage growth and district needs. After extensive research, discussions, and considerations the committee presented their recommendations for future facilities and priority projects for the Navarro Facilities Master Plan to the Navarro Board of Trustees for consideration.

Bond Fact Video Series

Bond 2024 Timeline, January 24, 2024 through the 2027-2028 school year

Bond 2024 - Frequently Asked Questions

Bond Questions

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

  • Bond funds can be used to pay for new buildings, additions and renovations to existing facilities, land acquisition, technology infrastructure and equipment for new or existing buildings. Bonds cannot be used for salaries or operating costs such as utility bills, supplies, building maintenance, fuel and insurance.

  • School districts are required by state law to ask voters for permission to sell bonds to investors in order to raise the capital dollars required for projects such as renovation to existing buildings or building a new school. Essentially, the voters are giving permission for the District to take out a loan and pay that loan back over an extended period of time, much like a family takes out a mortgage loan for their home. A school board calls a bond election so voters can decide whether or not they want to pay for proposed facility projects.

  • The last bond election for Navarro ISD was November 2, 2021.  There were two bond propositions included:

    Proposition A for $130,000,000 was passed by the voters.  This proposition was for a new high school, new elementary school, renovations and additions to existing facilities, safety and security upgrades, and land purchase.

    Proposition B for $30,000,000 was not passed by the voters.  This proposition was for a new sports complex.

    More detailed information regarding Bond 2021 can be found on the district website.

  • On November 2, 2021  Navarro ISD voters approved the $130,000,000 Bond Proposition A portion of Bond 2021 for designing, constructing, renovating, improving, upgrading, updating, acquiring, and equipping school facilities, including a high school and elementary school (and any necessary or related removal of existing facilities), the purchase of the necessary sites for the school facilities, and the purchase of new school buses.  The Proposition B portion of Bond 2021 for $30M for a New Sports Complex was not approved by the Navarro ISD voters.

    August 15, 2022,  the Navarro ISD Board of Trustees determined that since the Election was ordered, conditions have dramatically and unexpectedly changed, particularly with respect to increased construction costs due to, among other factors, labor shortages and supply-chain delays arising from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war against Ukraine. The Board found that it is not economically feasible under these changed conditions to construct both a new high school and a new elementary school from the Bond 2021 funds. The Board intends to use 2021 bond proceeds primarily for the construction of a new high school, as permitted by Measure A, the corresponding Proposition A, and applicable Texas law. For More details and documentation for this decision, please refer to the August 15, 2022 Regular Board Meeting Agenda and attached documents in section 8.P.

    On September 13, 2023 Navarro ISD held the official Groundbreaking Ceremony for the New Navarro High School Facilities. Currently, construction is underway for the new high school.  For more details and updates about the 2021 Bond, please visit the district page.

    Bond 2021 Construction Updates can be found on the district website.

  • The decision to call for Bond 2024 comes after the Board reviewed the work of the District Long-Range Master Planning Committee Recommendations presented during a Special Board Meeting on January 22, 2024, and subsequent approval by the Board of Trustees during a second Special Board Meeting on January 24, 2024.

    The District Long-Range Master Planning Committee’s work resulted in a 10-year facilities plan aimed at addressing projected growth and modern educational standards.  

  • Bond 2024 will be for $120,000,000.  This bond will be divided into three separate propositions to address current legal requirements:

    Proposition A:  $73,700,00 for Growth & Reinvestment

    • New Elementary Grades 2-5 on New Site
    • Existing Elementary and Intermediate Refresh
    • Safety and Security Enhancements (Access Control, Video Surveillance, & Video Intercom)
    • Chiller Replacement at Existing High School
    • Drives and Parking
    • Project Contingencies
    • Jr High Remodel/Refresh/Expansion (Classroom construction, corridor/covered walkway, construction, paint, flooring, electrical)

    Proposition B:  $35,500,000 for New Athletic Stadium

    • Football, Soccer, Track & Field Facilities (7,000 seating)
    • Concessions, Restrooms, and Field House

    Proposition C:  $10,800,000 for New Baseball & Softball Turf Fields, Tennis Courts, Restrooms, and Concessions

    • New Baseball & Softball Turf Fields
    • Tennis Courts
    • Restrooms and Concessions

    Additional information can be found on the district Bond 2024 website.

  • Navarro ISD called for volunteers to serve on the Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee.  This group was made up of 33 committee members consisting of parents, community members, faculty, staff, and students.  This committee met six times from November 2023-January 2024  to discuss how to manage growth.  Throughout the series of meetings, the Long Range Facilities Master Planning Committee evaluated and discussed topics including the current state of the district, future projections and requirements, Principal survey feedback, updated demographic projections, tax compression, and bond capacities.  The committee worked with both Architects and Facilities and Planning Advisors throughout each meeting for additional consultation advice. After extensive research, discussions, and considerations the committee presented its recommended 10-Year Facilities Master Plan Proposal for future facilities and priority projects to the Navarro Board of Trustees on January 22, 2024.  The Board of Trustees took all of the recommendations from the committee under advisement, and also met with both Bond Council and Financial Advisors to discuss all of the information before calling for Bond 2024 on January 24, 2024.

  • Yes, Bond 2024 does have allowances factored in to cover furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the schools.

  • Career and Technical Education programs have been included in the 2021 Bond as a part of the New High School.  The Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee weighed the pros and cons of all programs offered currently at Navarro for all ages, current facilities, Navarro ISD bond capacities, and growth projections and they created guiding principles for the areas they felt were the highest priority at the present time with the information and resources we have available. The Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee did create and present their recommendation for a 10-year Facilities Master Plan on January 22, 2024 to the NISD Board of Trustees. The Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee discusses CTE  and Fine Arts adjustments in future years as a part of future potential bonds as the district continues to grow.  It was recommended that this plan be reviewed and adjusted periodically.

Tax Questions

  • The tax rate for Navarro ISD is made up of two components:

    • Maintenance & Operations (M&O) which are funds used to operate the district such as salaries, utilities, equipment, supplies, etc.
    • Interest & Sinking (I&S) which are funds used for repayment of voter approved bonds from an election (construction, renovation, land, buses, roofing, HVAC, etc.)

    Current NISD Tax Rate:
    M&O Tax Rate: $0.7251
    I&S Tax Rate: $0.4150
    Total Tax Rate: $1.1401

  • According to the NISD Financial Advisor, depending on property values and bond interest rates, it is possible we would reach the maximum allowed debt service rate which could mean an 8.5 cent increase to the I&S Tax Rate over time.

  • MAXIMUM POSSIBLE TAX IMPACT TO TAXPAYER/PROPERTY OWNER - Assuming an average home is $390,000, and applying the $100,000 Statewide Homeowner Exemption for school taxes, the projected increase of I&S Tax Rate from $0.4150 to $0.4600 and from $0.46 to $0.50 is shown in the chart below.

    2024-25 I&S Increase and 2025-26 I&S Increase, with yearly and monthly impact listed

  • If a homeowner receives the Age-65 Freeze on his or her homestead, the school taxes are frozen and cannot be raised above the frozen level unless significant improvements beyond normal repairs or maintenance are made to the home.   Examples of a “significant improvement” would be adding a garage, building a game room, or adding a swimming pool to your property.

Voting Questions

Questions We Received from the Public

    • Notes of meetings indicate 3/31/2022 the new Navarro High School revised floor plans were reviewed with board members for an overall campus square footage cut from 235,000 to 218,000 due to escalation. 
      • Regarding FFA classrooms specifically:
        • The original program had a FFA classroom/meeting space in the Ag building.  Based on the meeting notes from March 10-11, 2022, this classroom was relocated to the new high school adjacent to the welding shop per Navarro High School Ag Teachers request for the classroom to be located in the main building.  These same meeting minutes also indicated the bleachers/exercise ring was discussed as being used as a meeting place in the Ag building also per the Ag Teachers request. 
          • There are still a total of two FFA (animal science and Ag) classrooms and the Ag scope has remained the same from what was previously discussed regarding number of pens, storage room, wash areas, etc. Both classrooms are now adjacent to the welding area.  
          • The Ag Welding/Building Trades plan still has a 4,530 sq ft.Welding Shop which includes a classroom and tool storage space which is larger than the current space. 
    • We asked Mr. Woerndel to look through the Ag plans with us again this week after questions have been raised, and he said it looks like what they discussed in 2022.
    • The original program had a building trades space and that space is still available for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical and also serves as a flex space for Ag use, development of vet tech if needed, or other CTE program development as needed.

  •  

    • There is a roadway for the new high school that will connect from Link to the back side of the campus which will be completed this summer.  This is a requirement of the city that we have an entrance/exit in two places on the property and that will be 123 and Link.  The Link road connection will be used as a service entrance for the majority of the time but may need to be used for general traffic during high needs times with events or as an entrance or exit if there was an emergency issue on 123.

  • The number fluctuates regularly based on transfers in and out of the district as well as students joining and leaving a sport/athletic class period. Based on numbers from the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year we have 697 individual students participating in Navarro Athletics. To calculate this number we added the number of students enrolled in Girls & Boys Pre-Athletics classes, 7th & 8th Grade Girls & Boys Athletics classes, High School Girls Athletics classes, High School Boys Athletic classes, and added the number of students who participate in sports/cheerleading that do not take an Athletics class period. Athletes would only be enrolled in one Athletic class per day. 

    • Allows the Junior High to utilize existing facilities to expand the Junior High Athletics program to include soccer, softball, and baseball in the future which is in the Athletics Long-Range Master Plan (include link to presentation) if facilities are available for program expansions. If current facilities continue to be utilized for the High School Athletics program, we would not have the space available to add soccer, softball, and baseball to the Junior High Athletic program.

     

    • Many of our current Athletic facilities fill to close to capacity on a regular basis both in seating and parking at the present time.  The Long-Range Master Planning Committee addressed pro’s and con’s of off-site athletic facilities including effects on master schedules to allow for students to have time to get to facilities off premises for practice and games as well as the transportation considerations and added resources needed to safely bus children to and from off-site practice and game facilities. The committee’s work resulted in a 10-year facilities plan aimed at addressing projected growth and current educational standards set by TEA. The committee also asked the district to get estimates on what it would cost to upgrade current athletic facilities if they were to remain High School athletic facilities to meet the projected future growth.  The estimates show the current cost to upgrade current High School facilities to meet projected growth would be around $29,000,000 which would require a future bond.  This $29,000,000 would also not address parking issues that already occur on a regular basis during High School Athletic events, and does not include a field house or new weight room.  New estimates would be needed before future bonds were called in order to factor in cost escalation price increases at that point in time. Current Athletic facilities would not require major upgrades to meet projected growth if they were to become Junior High Athletic Program facilities.

     

    • With  loading,  unloading,  and  gathering, and  transporting  all  athletic  gear,  we  estimate  that  our High  School students  trip  from  the  new  high  school  to  existing  facilities  would  take  approximately  20  to  25  minutes  one  way.

  • The Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee recommended that the District call Bond 2024 to include funds for growth and reinvestment that would include funds to build a new elementary off site, renovations, to the current Elementary, Intermediate, and High School campuses (that will become the future Junior High campus) as well as include adding a new athletic complex at the new Navarro High School that is currently under constructions that would include facilities for Football, Track & Field, Soccer, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Concession Stands and a Field House.

    The recommendation proposed that if the voters approved Bond 2024, the district should renovate the current Elementary campus to prepare it to become an early childhood center that all Pre-K -1st grade students would start together on one campus for the district.  

    The recommendation also included renovations to the existing Intermediate campus to refresh the facilities and prepare for it to become the future on-site Elementary campus that would serve 2nd-5th Grades.  At the same time the Intermediate changes to become a 2nd-5th Grade Elementary campus, the committee recommended the district open a second off-site Elementary campus that would also serve 2nd-5th Grade students.  We are in the process of finalizing the purchase of land for the off-site Elementary campus, so we can not disclose the exact location, but we are currently in the process of securing land on both the North and South sides of the district to be used for future Elementary #2 as well as the future Elementary Campus #3  that the committee recommended be included in a future bond.  

    The Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Committee has recommended that when the new 9th-12th Grade High School opens off-site, the current High School would be refreshed and renovated to become the new Navarro Junior High that will include 6th-8th grades. Growth projections show that when the Junior High moves to the current High School location, we will already be at capacity for the new Junior High. Part of Proposition A from Bond 2024 has money dedicated to:

    • Remodeling the current Junior High Technology building that includes Science Labs and the current Junior High Library to turn the library into more classrooms and refresh the rest of the building
    • Refreshing the current Junior High Cafeteria
    • Refreshing the current Junior High 400 Wing.  These refreshed building will all remain a part of the new Junior High when it opens in the current High School location.

    When the new High School opens off-site, 9th-12th Grade will move to the new High School campus together.

    In the future, the district will have to put together a committee of community, faculty, staff, and students to make recommendations on how students will be zoned for attendance when we have separate elementary campuses.  The committee will be looking at zoning students to campuses based on  home proximity to the different campuses while also trying to balance campus sizes to be similar. Bond 2024 includes the funds to build the new off-site Elementary campus and refresh the current Intermediate that will become the other 2nd-5th Elementary to make them both fresh and comparable places to learn for future Panthers.

     

    Long-Range Facilities Master Planning Presentation

     

    Bond 2024 Timeline

Questions about Bond 2024

More Information

We will continually provide more facts about Bond 2024 and plan to hold community forums in the future.

 

Previous Bond Information