Superintendent Discusses Upcoming Bond Election
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – District voters will have a unique opportunity this Saturday as two bond propositions will be open for voting in the College Station school district. The bonds amount to a total of $53 million, aimed at various repairs and upgrades for the athletic facilities at both A&M Consolidated High School and College Station High School.
Details of the Bond Propositions
Proposition A, worth $40,200,000, is set to fund renovations for the athletic stadiums and fieldhouses of A&M Consolidated High School and College Station High School. A property tax increase is anticipated to support this action. The A&M Consolidated High School, notably, does not currently house a girl’s locker room in its fieldhouse. Female athletes are forced to change in the main campus, bathrooms, or a storage room repurposed as a changing area under the stadium bleachers. The Proposition also covers the resurfacing of tracks at both schools and the addition of more restrooms at College Station High School’s athletic stadium.
Proposition B, worth $13,270,000, is directed towards renovations of the baseball/softball stadiums at both A&M Consolidated High School and College Station High School. This proposition will also result in a property tax increase.
This marks the third time these athletic bonds are up for voters’ approval, having been rejected during two previous instances.
Superintendent Address Concerns About District Restructuring
College Station Superintendent Dr. Tim Harkrider was recently interviewed to clarify misconceptions about the bond election and upcoming district restructuring. Dr. Harkrider highlighted the distinction between budgets set for operational costs and salaries, and those set for athletic improvements.
“There’s two different pots of money that cannot be intermixed,” mentioned Dr. Harkrider, addressing concerns of voters who think the funds should be focused more on academics and teacher’s salaries.
Restructuring the School District
The district is planning structural pivots for the upcoming school year which will impact staff known as “interventionists”. Intervention programs provided by these staff members are designed to lend additional support for student success. Traditionally, students were taken out of class for one-to-one or small group instruction. Harkrider revealed that this instruction will now be provided in classrooms by teachers.
“We feel like we can better support our students, as well as our teachers with a different model that actually doesn’t require as many staff members. So, it’s going to be a more effective model, less money overall,” shared Dr. Harkrider. The Superintendent also confirmed that no layoffs are planned under the new structure.
Folks affected by the restructuring will be offered other roles within the district and the three specialists retiring will not be replaced. Salaries and benefits will remain the same for individuals taking up new positions. Harkrider reassured that provisions for students requiring special education services or those enrolled in Gifted & Talented programs will not be impacted by the changes.
Election Day is Saturday, May 4, while more information about the bond propositions, voting, and the staffing changes is publicly available online.