As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 164,500 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken. Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISD employs 19,234 employees including 10,500 teachers in 218 schools.
7 Nov 2001
AUDIO AVAILABLE AT (972) 925-3908
Trustees Could Approve Call November 14
DALLAS—Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Mike Moses and administration officials on Tuesday presented board of trustees with a plan that would allow for a January 2002 vote for a $1.366 billion bond election to build and renovate schools in Dallas.
Trustees began considering details of the plan Tuesday evening, and could call for approval of the plan as early as November 14 during a called board meeting.
"We have worked hard to cut our proposal by almost a half a billion dollars to get to this figure—$1.366 billion—which is still just a portion of what we need to do in Dallas to meet our facilities needs," Moses said.
With the passage of a $1.366 billion bond election, the district would build one new high school, 16 elementary schools and three new middle schools. The priority for renovations would be in schools and not as high in support facilities. The district also would construct a centralized kitchen to better serve the district's school breakfast and lunch programs, and add one major sports facility.
"There are a lot of needs out there, and the public knows something has to be done," Moses said. "Citizens know we need to cut the overcrowding in our schools. They know we must reduce the number of portable classrooms. We must better manage our money to cover the difference between the $1.9 billion in needs we have, and the $1.366 billion we are planning to propose for the bond election.Dr. Larry Groppel, deputy superintendent—Business Services, said the figures presented to the board were gathered by the district's five-year-old Future Facilities Task Force and through an independent study done by Heery International, a construction consulting company.
"Both groups have worked hard to help us whittle down to a number we can feel comfortable in proposing," Groppel said. "This is a solid plan that can have a very positive impact on the city of Dallas and the schools of DISD."
The district's trustees are scheduled to vote on a call for the election during a November 14 called board meeting. Trustees will hold a public hearing to receive input on the proposal November 12 at 6 p.m. at the Administration Building located at 3700 Ross Avenue.
Moses said the administration has produced reports that highlight what improvements, additions, and new facilities would be built if the proposal is approved by voters.
Dallas voters have never rejected a bond proposal at the polls. The last bond election in Dallas was in 1992, for $275 million. A total of 16 new schools were built with the 1992 program.
The $1.366 figure would make the election, if approved, the highest bond election ever held for public schools in the state of Texas, and one of the highest ever in the nation.
In September, Moses pointed out that more than half of DISD's school buildings were built before 1960. He also noted that as many as 40,000 of the district's 164,000 students attend classes in portable buildings. Seventy-four DISD portables are between 40 and 50 years old.