HISD principals say $4.4B bond proposal would 'greatly benefit' campuses, provide crucial upgrades

Houston Chronicle, Megan Menchaca, Staff writer, June 27, 2024

Houston ISD campuses have urgent infrastructure needs, including mold growth, broken air-conditioning systems and extensive cracks in classroom walls, that the district’s proposed $4.4 billion bond could address, several principals said during tours of their schools this week.

HISD’s bond proposal — the largest in Texas history — would fund improvements to all of the district’s campuses, including upgrades to security infrastructure and to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. The district also would rebuild, renovate or expand more than 40 schools with “poor facilities and learning conditions” if the bond is approved.

Principals of some of the campuses that would see the most significant overhauls — including Cornelius and Durham elementary schools and Revere and Fondren middle schools —  said the bond could fix issues at their campuses that are causing health or safety concerns for students and employees.

The appointed board of managers must approve the bond proposal by mid-August for it to appear on the ballot for voters in November. It would not raise taxes if approved, according to the district.

Zaira Gomez, the former principal of Cornelius Elementary School, said the school currently doesn’t have appropriate space, so about 35% of students attend classes in the school’s 33 T-buildings, or temporary classrooms that are separate from the main building. Gomez said several of the T-buildings suffer frequent water leaks, plumbing problems and AC issues.

The bond would provide more than $25 million for an expansion of the Golfcrest campus, along with other improvements. Gomez said while it’s not clear yet how exactly the funds will be allocated if the bond passes, she hopes the campus community can be united under one roof and expand its capacity and resources for more than 750 students.

“We've been a high-performing school for many years, and I think this will just enhance it,” said Gomez, who is now an executive director for the south division. “It'll give ... students the opportunity to be in a gym in a larger space and restrooms where they don't have to go in the elements. All that excites me about the bond.”

Principal Justin Buren said Durham Elementary School is a “fully exposed outdoor campus” that regularly faces roof leaks and water accumulation after severe weather. Along with braving the elements, he said, students and teachers have also gotten used to being moved from classroom to classroom due to regular leaks or problems with the AC.

The bond allocates about $82 million to Durham, which would largely go toward a full rebuild and expansion of the school in northwest Houston. Buren said a new campus would allow school leaders to provide more consistent HVAC services, additional security checkpoints for visitors and a safer and healthier environment for about 560 students.

“We are masters of giving students what they deserve with what we do have and making sure that they're safe and learning and having a wonderful experience,” Buren said. “If we were able to not have to overcome those hurdles on the daily, (imagine) what that would do for the students, the staff and us as we help the students grow into the citizens we want them to be.”

LaKia Jackson, principal of Fondren Middle School, said she has concerns about consistent water leaks from AC systems causing mold in several classrooms, security around the front entrance of the campus and “structural integrity issues” with the school, such as thin cracks in the wall extending from the floor to the roof.

The Meyerland school with  approximately 760 students would receive about $24 million for renovations if the bond passes. The district has not finalized the specifics of what the bond would address at each campus, but Jackson said a permanent solution to the mold issues and additional barriers to accessing campus would be a priority there.

The district “can do so many repairs (to the AC) but until the root problem is fixed, then these are concerns. ... Mold creates a lot of problems. That’s just a huge area of concern for us,” Jackson said. “This is what we have to work around. We do our best, but it would be appropriate if the problem was fixed versus repaired.”

Monique Moody, the Revere Middle School principal, said the 44-year-old campus has required constant maintenance throughout the past academic year for cracks in the floor, outdated HVAC systems, water leaks from the roof and several other issues associated with the building’s age.

Moody said the school does its best to provide high-quality instruction to more than 1,100 students every day, but it would be easier to do in a building that did not need so much maintenance and upkeep. The bond proposal would allocate nearly $162 million to the campus in Briar Forest, which would largely go toward building a new school.

“Our students will greatly benefit from the bond passing,” Moody said. “In order for them to compete in a global economy, they deserve access to, not only high-quality instruction, but to facilities that allow them to compete at that level. Having access to those things with the support of the community and the bond would be extremely supportive of our students.”