The Houston school district plans to ask voters in November to approve a $4.4 billion bond proposal, the largest in the district's history.
The Houston Chronicle reports that much of the bond, $2.05 billion, would spent on rebuilding, renovating and modernizing school facilities. The district has identified more than 40 campuses with "urgent facility needs."
The proposal calls for investing $1.35 billion on "safe and healthy campuses," which would include updating heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, securing campuses and testing whether school grounds, air, water and buildings meet environmental standards.
And $1 billion would go to career and technical education, early childhood education and district technology investments.
The Houston district is pitching a bond at a time when many community members feel distrust toward the district and are calling for more transparency.
Houston Public Media reports that the district's $4.4 billion proposal would be the largest school bond package in Texas history. It comes a year after the Houston district--the state's largest--was taken over by state officials.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath removed Houston's nine elected board members, appointed a board of managers, and installed Mike Miles as superintendent.
The new regime has carried out numerous changes, and community members and local elected officials have pushed back by staging protests and calling for state and federal agencies to investigate.
